星空传媒

When Dave Corbin volunteered for the role of 鈥榠ntegrator鈥� in a partnering workshop back in March 2004, he didn鈥檛 know exactly what he was letting himself in for 鈥� the role had yet to be defined. It was a decision that radically changed his career. Corbin, then an M&E design engineer with multidisciplinary consultants White Young Green, had long harboured the ambition to get into the middle of a project team where he could drive things forward. 鈥淚 used to get frustrated at being on the periphery of the team,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚 often felt that the skills I offered weren鈥檛 necessarily technical, but more delivery orientated.鈥�

The integrator role came about when the Isle of Wight Council decided to enter into a five-year partnering framework. Under the agreement, WYG worked with construction firm Mountjoy to provide a one-stop-shop for the council鈥檚 building projects. 鈥淲ith the relationship between the two companies still in its infancy, we were asked who would act as the integrator for our partnering team 鈥� and I volunteered,鈥� explains Corbin.

Since then, Corbin鈥檚 role in the company has become almost 100% project management. The role involves managing the entire team, liaising with the other members of the design group and, crucially, keeping an eye on the bigger picture.

It has been a steep learning curve, says Corbin, but his background means he is able to bring something unique to clients.

鈥淎s a services engineer, you often get involved late in the project, which generally means the scheme is too far down the line for you to have a real impact,鈥� he reflects. 鈥淚 think what I bring, to a client, in particular, is the knowledge that if you bring the services guys in earlier, they can explain how the building should be operating and this will affect the building鈥檚 appearance.鈥�

Knowing what鈥檚 entailed in the design also enables you to ensure a balanced approach to the delivery and create an efficient construction programme, he points out. On the other hand, you have to be careful as there can be a tendency for some project managers to over-focus on the areas they come from.

Too many people have drifted into project management without learning it鈥檚 a skill

Since taking on this role, Corbin has completed the Association of Project Managers鈥� professional exams. 鈥淎s a member of CIBSE, I felt it was important that I wasn鈥檛 just seen as a chartered engineer,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think there are too many project managers who have drifted into this without necessarily learning that project management is a skill. It鈥檚 not something you can do just because you鈥檙e a go-getter, you need to have that structure.鈥�

The most important aspect of this job is, he says, team management. 鈥淚t comes down to delivery. I鈥檓 in the prime position to see where the team is working and where it鈥榮 struggling. It鈥檚 a case of casting your eye over the whole scenario and, when things aren鈥檛 being delivered, you pick up on it and look for trends.鈥�

As with any project team it鈥檚 all about teamwork and teambuilding. 鈥溞强沾�媒 and maintaining motivation is one of the biggest challenges,鈥� says Corbin. 鈥淎lthough it sounds like a real clich茅, the key to it all is communication.鈥�

So is it a career move that Corbin would recommend to others? 鈥淒efinitely,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 got frustrated with M&E and wanted to use my skills in a different way. While it doesn鈥檛 suit everyone, I see my future in project management. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檒l find myself back as an M&E design engineer.鈥�