Dan Hogan

Dan took full advantage of international opportunities at Mace by taking his career to Australia. After completing an industry placement as part of his construction project management degree, he joined the Mace graduate scheme and, in 2015, applied for a transfer to the other side of the world.

How did you get in to what you do?

I’ve always been practical and my dad suggested going into the construction industry. I did a degree in construction project management as it seemed like a good fit for me and it all worked out pretty well considering I sort of fell into it at a time when I wasn’t too sure exactly what I wanted to do. More recently, I have received great support from all levels of management throughout my time at Mace that has really shaped my professional development.

What do you enjoy most about your role at Mace?

I’ve project managed quite a few schools in Australia. Seeing the kids get so excited about where they’re going to be taught is really rewarding. Seeing their enthusiasm and being able to inspire them is great and will hopefully engage the next generation into a profession within the industry.

Working in construction is great because you work hard for such a long time but there is a physical, palpable object at the end and you can be safe in the knowledge that you helped to create something that will be around for decades.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into what you do?

Given how well it’s worked for me, I would suggest going to university, doing a placement year to suss out the different roles in construction and then applying for a graduate scheme. Then, to be successful, you need to have a positive mental attitude and be a problem solver, not a problem maker.

What do you see as the big trend for your specialism in the next five years?

An increase in the use of modular prefabrication. It’s huge in the UK already but is quite new to the market in Australia. It has such huge benefits for the client and contractor so it’s inevitable that it will grow once its full potential is realised.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Catching up with friends, exploring the great Australian outdoors and riding my motorbike. I suppose I've always been a Liverpool FC fan but given that they lose a lot my passion if often put to the test.