Gareth Parkes is a Chemical Engineer, DATAIQ's top 100 most influential people in data and the Head of Data and Analytics at Sir Robert McAlpine
Gareth's career journey illustrates the versatility of a chemical engineering degree! From starting out in an unconventional chemical engineering role to becoming the Head of Data and Analytics at SRM and one of the most influential people in data, Gareth's experiences in industry affirms why breaking the mould positions you for great opportunities!
What led you to study Chemical Engineering?
I enjoyed studying STEM subjects at school, particularly chemistry! My decision on what to study boiled down to whether I wanted to go down the direct Chemistry route or Engineering. What drew me to Engineering was the prospect of working in the real world rather than working in a lab-based role, which was my perception of Chemistry at the time. To me, an Engineer would take what a Chemist had done and turn it into a large-scale production that made it accessible to everybody. It was quite a narrow view, but that’s how I ended up choosing Chemical Engineering.
What were your interests during your university studies?
I did an integrated master’s degree for four years and I guess I probably did this because that was the typical academic route for anyone studying Chemical Engineering. I tended to prefer the modules that were practical and had a real-world reference. So, from early on, I knew that I wanted to work in the real world and doing something that makes a difference.
Regarding the career routes, it seemed like there were four possible sectors - Food & Drink, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals or a career in Management Consultant working for one of the big four, but I was mainly really interested in Energy.
I also got involved in Engineers Without Borders whilst I was at university and held the position of the President of the chapter for a year. This, combined with not being sure of what I was going to do next led me to collaborate with two other engineers, who were also interested in Engineers Without Borders. The three of us wanted to do something a bit different, so we decided to go to South America. We were able to convince the university and some charities to sponsor us which afforded us the opportunity to build a water sanitation system for an orphanage in Bolivia - it was an unbelievable experience!
The way in which projects learn lessons is archaic, so my role involved looking at how we can build a learning legacy from one project to the next. I realised that using data and analytics techniques made this much more effective and achievable.
Talk us through your career journey?
I came back from South America in August 2008 which was during the financial crisis. I was looking for a role in the Energy Sector and came across one at the Energy Institute within their Technical Team. It involved working on hydrocarbon measurement standards, developing test methods for measuring the specification of various fuels (primarily petroleum products) with elements of human and organisational factors related to health and safety.
I didn’t apply my chemical engineering degree to a large extent, and this was not a conventional place to start in industry. But it gave me fascinating exposure to the Energy Industry and a great network of people. I also did a master’s in Economics and Energy Policy which served as a great complement to the work I was doing at the Energy Institute.
When did Data come into the picture?
I think this started when I was at the Energy institute - some of the research I was doing combined with setting up a digital team gave me better insights on the benefits of data. I moved across to Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) where my first role was in Knowledge Management from a project delivery point of view. So, looking at how a project team can learn from the experience of previous projects. The way in which projects learn lessons is archaic so my role involved looking at how we can build a learning legacy from one project to the next. I realised that using data and analytics techniques made this much more effective and achievable.
Finding your passion may not come straight away so it’s about staying curious and having a growth mindset!
Interesting! Can you share some examples of what you currently do at SRM?
I have been doing some work around connecting data technologies and our processes and having the right elements in order to enable data flow from one place to another. This culminates into better reporting tools for our project teams and makes it easier for them to make decisions.
Another area I’d like to mention is the work we have been doing across the Construction Sector. Projects in the construction sector require lots of collaboration; that’s how projects get delivered. But when you open it up to project teams to learn from each other, it can be challenging, not least because of limited expertise in the data skills that enable them to collaborate on a granular data level. For example, you come across situations whereby say three people are all collecting the same piece of information but storing it in different places - this is one example that creates inefficiencies that limit information flow around the sector.
On reflection, this links quite strongly to my Process Engineering background as it’s essentially process optimisation - modulating information flow by fixing certain bottlenecks in the process across different areas of the sector.
I’ve also done a lot of work to promote an apprenticeship internally that gives people that opportunity to develop skills to kickstart their careers.
How have bridged any knowledge gaps working in a different sector?
Going onsite to meet people and see the projects in motion has helped a lot! I think ultimately, it comes down to emotional intelligence - your ability to be able to connect with your audience, speaking the right language and recognising that how you communicate with Engineers for example may be different to your approach with the Technical IT Team
Can you share a career highlight or perhaps a learning experience?
The dataIQ 100 Awards?
Yes, that is definitely a career highlight and I feel grateful to be part of the list!
One significant learning experience for me was the feedback I got from an interview a while ago - I didn’t get the job but it had a profound effect on me. I was told that I needed to do a much better job of articulating the vision that I had and that it was clear that my heart wasn’t in the job. I think these are two things that I regularly reflect upon.
It is important for me to be clear about what my vision is and what is important to me. I’ve realised that being able to convey what I am thinking is very much dependent on how invested I am in it.
Tips for upcoming STEM professionals?
Finding your passion may not come straight away so it’s about staying curious and having a growth mindset!
You may encounter setbacks, but you’ll hopefully learn to pick yourself up quickly and keep going! Your previous experiences are yours to own, bank on and apply to whatever comes next.
What is your career goal?
I want my children to live in a future that I can say that I contributed to positively. Presently, my contribution to this is within the construction and built environment - being able to re-engineer the way in which projects are delivered. To solve the challenges in the world, we need to get far better in the way we deliver projects.
inSTEM would like to say a huge thank you to Gareth for sharing his career journey with us!
If you have any questions for Gareth, please feel free to reach out to him on LinkendIn
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