Offshore Civil Engineer John O'Sullivan reflects on his MSc experience.
I was delighted to be selected for the SSE Engineering Project Management MSc, particularly as I had been searching for an appropriate post graduate course of study for some time. As a Project Engineering Manager, it struck the right balance between technical and management development. I was proud, and very grateful to the business, to be selected as one of the four members of the offshore renewables team selected back in 2012.
Given the support we got from the Project Management Academy steering group and working group, and the wider SSE business, I didn’t feel like there was any additional pressure. The structure of the course meant we attended lectures during the working week and the course work was carried out in our own time at evenings and weekends. Compared to the commitment needed to carry out an external part-time MSc, where lectures would be held outside of working hours, we had it relatively good. That said a number of weekends and holidays had to be sacrificed over the three years, but that’s what we signed up for!
My dissertation on the opportunities and barriers faced by the UK fabrication sector supply chain as it enters the offshore wind industry was a challenging project to undertake. There was limited market intelligence available, and encouraging industry and Government leaders to provide both open and constructive offerings was not easy. This was challenging given the innovative, fast-paced nature of the offshore wind industry and the reluctance of some to share knowledge in order to maintain their competitive edge. However, through relationship building, effective meeting management and communication I was able to overcome these obstacles.
The course provided me with the opportunity to reflect on the challenges of my day-to-day role and improve my management awareness and ability. The new knowledge and skills I have learned through my studies will allow me to make a greater contribution to major infrastructure projects of strategic importance to SSE in the future.