Ian McLeod

Project Management, London Underground
Joined September 2010

I graduated with a politics degree from Leeds University in 2007, but decided that a career in politics wasn't for me. I then worked in various roles for the next year before returning to university to gain an MA in property and building surveying. Project management formed an element of my studies and became something I was particularly interested in.

Have a real impact...

I hadn't really considered TfL as a potential employer until I saw an advert in a careers journal. After researching the company, I was surprised by the variety, scale and complexity of the projects that the company was undertaking. This was one of my main motivations for applying for the scheme, along with a sense that the projects I would be involved in would have a real impact on the lives of Londoners and the millions of tourists that visit the city.

Having completed my first year of the two-year scheme, I have already experienced four varied placements. Part of the LU Project Management scheme involves six weeks of operational training followed by six weeks of practical experience working as a Station Supervisor. I spent my time working at Waterloo, which allowed me to see the day-to-day issues involved in running one of the busiest stations on the underground network.

£600 million project...

I spent approximately six months working on the Tottenham Court Road (TCR) station upgrade, a £600 million project to enhance capacity, improve access and provide links to the new Crossrail station. My time here was invaluable in providing hands-on experience of working on a large scale construction project. I was given real responsibility and accountability for an important section of the work. The Senior Project Manager at TCR even trusted me with presenting on the project progress to over 300 colleagues.

Having a degree accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) I hoped to have the opportunity to become a chartered project manager. My Scheme Sponsor was very keen for me to work towards this goal and set up a training agreement with RICS just for me, so I am now aiming to become chartered in the next 18 months. On top of this I have also completed the Association of Project Management (APM) Introductory Course and will take the next level APMP course at the end of my second year.

London Underground is going through an unprecedented period of development. Upgrading a 150-year-old railway, while continuing to run a world class service, is an incredible challenge and one that I am delighted to be involved in.