Mr. Paul Gandy shares insights on leadership, industry impact, and career development with Construction Project Management (CPM) students.
University of Portsmouth London was delighted to welcome Mr. Paul Gandy, President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), to our campus at Juniper House on Monday 14th July. Paul was greeted by our course leader for Construction Project Management MSc Mehran Sepehri and Senior Lecturer Don Samuel. Mehran introduced Paul to his class of 22 students, all eagerly awaiting Paul’s presentation on leadership, sustainability, and the lasting impact construction professionals can have on communities and the built environment.
With over 30 years of global executive experience in the construction industry, Paul brought his breadth of expertise to UoPL and delivered an impactful presentation. His insightful discussion was centred around:
• The importance of competency- not just what you build but how you build it.
• The fundamentals of project management and its’ importance within the construction industry.
• The added social value of construction professionals to communities and local economies
Students were engaged throughout and received firsthand insight into the current and future landscape of the UK construction sector. One student wrote a blog reflecting on the experience, saying “His (Paul’s) visit wasn’t just informative- it was a genuine reminder of why I chose this career path in the first place”.
The CIOB has approximately 50,000 members across more than 100 countries. Our CPM postgraduate programme has formally applied for CIOB accreditation. As part of this relationship, students in the programme are eligible for free CIOB student membership, which provides a wealth of learning materials, events, and networking opportunities with professionals in the construction industry worldwide. Since Paul’s talk, many students have since joined the CIOB as student members, strengthening their professional standing within the industry.
The event featured a two- hour presentation and interactive discussion with CPM postgraduate students. Following the event, Paul joined Mehran and Don for a chat over coffee. When asked about his time at UoPL, Paul responded “You’ve a group of people there who are enthusiastic about the industry and taking the industry in the right direction. We need people like you have here who want to get their foundations right as they take their careers forwards”.
As we pursue CIOB accreditation, it is a proud moment to welcome a renowned figure within the construction industry to UoP London. Having industry leaders visit UoPL gives our students insight into the practical landscape of the sector they’re growing their skills and experience in, and we thank Mr. Paul Gandy for his time and contributions.
When asked about those who may be interested in a career in the construction industry, Paul responded: “If they want a career in which the actions they take will resonate for 100 years (“footprints in our environment”) then construction is for them.”
Is construction the right industry for you?
Find out more about our Construction Project Management MSc course