Harry Sims

Kickstarting his Mace career as an 18-year-old apprentice, Harry Sims has covered a lot of ground in his six years with the business, taking on some of our most high-profile projects and shouldering the huge responsibility that comes with them. Overcoming the challenges of today for the construction of tomorrow, Harry is a driver for change, passionate about mentoring and determined to help build bigger and better teams.

How did you get into what you do?

Having grown up in Perth, Australia, I initially followed my passion for music, gaining a scholarship at high school. It wasn’t until I moved to the UK that my career took a different direction, when I began studying at an engineering school in 2011. After completing multiple summer placements with Mace, I finished my A-levels and was set to study Mechanical Engineering at university – that was until Mace offered me an apprenticeship that I really couldn’t refuse. The Mace apprenticeship not only allowed me to fast track my career in engineering, but also provided invaluable on-the-job experience. All this helped me in securing my current role as Assistant Building Services Manager.

How has your career progressed since joining Mace?

I’ve enjoyed working in the residential and commercial offices sector since 2017, but I started my apprenticeship in Mace’s data centre division, working my way up and gaining exposure across multiple areas. One particular project that left a lasting impression was 145 City Road - Tech City’s tallest residential tower and a high scale landmark, where I worked with a great team. Shortly after, I was delighted to receive an ‘Apprentice of The Year’ award from Mace, and in the same year, was also recognised as ‘Student of the Year’ at City Westminster College.

Once my apprenticeship came to an end in 2019, I continued working at Mace while also studying at the same time, getting stuck into my degree in Building Services Engineering at Southbank University.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at Mace?

In three words – people, opportunities, future. Mace provides such an abundance of opportunities, with plenty of room for progression and scope to learn from the best in the industry. So far, I have worked on some of the most visually striking, high-profile Mace projects in London, including two data centres, a residential tower in London as well as the Chelsea Barracks scheme.

What skills do you need to be good at your job?

You have to bring a proactive attitude and willingness to learn along with you, be curious to ask questions and also be challenged outside of your comfort zone. I think it’s essential to be approachable and someone people want to work with, as it stands you in good stead in both developing relationships on-site and in working with a diverse range of people. The best approach is listening to advice and being open to criticism - a colleague may have a better outcome and solution, so taking that on board is really important for speeding up the overall process.

What do you hope you will be doing in the next 5-10 years?

I hope to continue climbing the ladder at Mace and have been inspired by mentors within the business to become a mentor myself; guiding, supporting and motivating those on the graduate scheme. The last 5 years have been an exciting time where everything is changing rapidly within the industry. With new processes and innovative tech being introduced, I’m looking forward to what’s to come in the future.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I love hiking and camping with friends, and will be summitting Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis this year. Next year, I’m hoping to take on the 3 peaks challenge!