Steve Higham

When did you start working at Atkins?

I joined Atkins in September 1997 after graduating from the University of Birmingham in Civil Engineering.

How would you describe your role and responsibilities?

Management of a portfolio of rail projects.

Why did you join Atkins?

I joined as a graduate and Atkins has a good reputation for being the biggest and best engineering consultancy. 1997 was the year Atkins launched its rail division.

Do you have any professional accreditations?

Member of the Association of Project Managers.

How do you describe what you do to friends and family?

I say I help upgrade Britain’s railways.

What key projects have you worked on?

Various UK rail projects including the Ardwick Trans-Pennine Express Depot in Manchester, Rugby and Nuneaton resignalling, West Coast mainline upgrade and Evergreen 3.

What are you currently working on?

I manage a team and we’re working on three main projects in the UK: Stafford resignalling, Stourbridge to Hartlebury resignalling and Nuneaton North Chord.

What achievement are you most proud of?

Delivery of the West Coast resignalling project from Rugby to Nuneaton between 2006 and 2009. It’s probably the biggest resignalling project in the UK and we delivered it to budget and on time. It was also the most technically challenging project I’ve worked on since I joined Atkins.

How has your career developed at Atkins and how have you been supported during this time?

I started as a graduate and have been consistently promoted during the time I’ve worked here. I started on track design then design management, construction management, on to project management and I am now a regional programme manager.

How do programme managers and Atkins make a difference?

We always deliver. If we say we will, then we do and on time. We are industry specialists for complex projects. Clients can rely on us for certainty to deliver.

How would you describe the culture at Atkins?

In the rail division it’s always safety first. Beyond that I’d say there’s a definite can-do attitude and that Atkins is a meritocracy where advancement is based on individual ability or achievement.