Student Profile: Laura Hennessy

Here at Oxford Brookes, the School of the Built Environment is home to a range of courses in Construction, Planning, Property, Real Estate and Urban Design and includes the following courses:

• BSc Building Surveying
• BSc Construction Project Management
• BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management 

Laura Hennessy studied Construction Management and QS as an undergraduate at Oxford Brookes. She told us why, how and what she’s doing now…

Job Title: Senior Quantity Surveyor

What I Do: Work across a variety of construction projects, from initial planning to completion, ensuring projects stay on track both financially and operationally. I have quickly climbed the ranks in the industry, from graduating in 2021, becoming a qualified Chartered Surveyor in 2023 and becoming Senior Quantity Surveyor in 2024. To say the least I have learnt a lot very quickly and it’s a fantastic industry to be involved in.

Why Quantity Surveying? Growing up, I was always drawn to the outdoors and enjoyed hands-on work. Quantity Surveying offers a good mix of being out on-site and tackling technical challenges in the office. This career lets me work directly on projects that shape the built environment, giving me the chance to see real, tangible outcomes of my work. Quantity Surveying stood out because it combines construction knowledge with financial and project management skills. I liked the idea of being in a role that’s essential to keeping projects efficient, on-budget, and up to a high standard, especially given the importance of sustainable and community-focused development today.

Why Oxford Brookes? Oxford Brookes offered the balance of technical learning and practical application I was looking for. The program’s focus on industry-ready skills and hands-on experience meant I could start making a difference right after graduation. The faculty’s industry expertise and the opportunity for summer placements were also deciding factors for me.

Why a 3-year course? Completing the course in three years with two summer placements (instead of a year placement after my second year) was challenging, but it gave me a head start in the field. The placements meant I could apply what I was learning straightaway and build connections in the industry. It was intense but well worth it, as I came out of university with hands-on experience that helped me transition into my current role more smoothly.

What did you learn and how has it helped in your career? The course taught me both the technical aspects of quantity surveying and practical project management skills. Working on case studies, for instance, helped me prepare for real project scenarios. It also built my confidence to engage in problem-solving and teamwork on live projects, which has been invaluable in my career so far.

What’s the best thing about your job at McBains? The variety of projects and the collaborative culture at McBains are definitely highlights. I work with talented people across different sectors, and I’m always learning something new. The role itself is varied, and I get to be involved in everything from planning to final delivery. Plus, McBains really values innovation and sustainability, so I’m able to contribute meaningfully to projects that have a positive impact.

Advice for Someone Just Starting Out: Your network and experience are everything. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and reach out to different people – everyone has their own approach, and there’s always something to learn from different perspectives. Getting some work experience early on can be really helpful, too. It’ll give you a sense of what you like and help you figure out your path in the industry.

Thanks Laura. For more information about the courses and what our students are doing, follow us on:

Instagram – @oxfordbrookesconstruction

LinkedIn – Oxford Brookes Construction, QS and Project Management

PG Construction: 2023 and 2024

 I feel that I have been neglecting this blog a bit since we started the Instagram page for @oxfordbrookesconstruction so here is a summary of some of the things that have been going on for the postgraduate students in Construction at Oxford Brookes (it's all on Instagram). Let's start back in May 2023 with our first PG social event...

In May 2023 we held our first networking evening at Headington Hill Hall bringing together students, alumni and staff from postgraduate construction courses @oxfordbrookes. It was a huge success.

Towards the end of May 2023, a group of postgraduate construction students went on a field trip to Belgium and the Netherlands. They stopped in Antwerp to look at the Museum aan de Stroom and the port building (designed by Zaha Hadid) and then continued to Amsterdam. During the trip the students looked at sites and listened to presentations about locations in Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Rotterdam and Delft finishing with a stop over in Bruges on the way back to Oxford.

On 11 August 2023, a group of postgraduate students in Construction visited two sites in Oxford the Life and Mind Building and the Schwarzman Humanities Building. The visits were organised by the new PG Construction Student/Alumni Committee. 

In early September 2023: Graduation!

Later on in September 2023, we welcomed a new intake of students onto the PG Construction courses. Shortly after they arrived a group of them went off to explore Oxford (in the rain). They also started to form a student committee (coffee essential)...

The Built Environment Careers Fair takes place every year in October and is an excellent opportunity to network with employers, students and alumni...

At the end of October 2023, a group of PG students and staff went on a field trip to Manchester via the Midlands. First stop: Coventry and a visit to Prism Offsite Manufacturing and then on to Manchester where the students visited @factory_international at Aviva Studios, Salford University, Salford Quays and the Urban Splash development as well as taking a look around the city. The final stop was Birmingham where the students visited Curzon Street, Birmingham Library, the Bullring, the canal and Brindley Place.

Prism Manufacturing, Coventry

In Manchester

Urban Splash development in Salford

By the canal in Birmingham

In November 2023, we held the second student/alumni networking event at Headington Hill Hall. Advice from alumni, an jntroduction to the work of the student/alumni committee, the offer of a cricket match, pizza, drinks and networking. And live music from Adrian.

With the student/alumni committee up and running, a trip to London was organised for December 2023. The students visited Battersea Power Station for a site visit and presentation on the redevelopment and then moved on to Turner & Townsend where they were given a presentation on the graduate scheme. They finished off the day with a visit to St Pancras Square, Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard (King's Cross) before spending the evening in Covent Garden.

As we have two entry points for our MSc/PGD courses in Construction, we welcomed a second intake of students in January 2024 - they went for a look around Oxford (of course)...

Did you know that Oxford Brookes is undertaking a major development at Headington Hill? The new buildings should be ready in early 2025. Staff and students went to see progress on the new building at the end of February 2024...

A small group of students went to have a look at the building work taking place at Clive Booth Hall on the Headington campus - they found it a very instructive experience...

A group of postgraduate students from Construction went on a site visit to North Oxford on 9 May. An excellent visit and a beautiful day! 

During May 2024, a group of postgraduate students and staff from went on a field trip to Paris and called in at Lille on the way. During the trip, they visited a number of offices and buildings and investigated a series of sustainable construction case studies. They also gained an understanding of the European employment market. 

At the end of May 2024 we held our 3rd networking evening bringing together PG students and alumni in Construction. Thanks to the Student/Alumni Committee for organising and to all the students, alumni and staff who helped make it a success.

And that is it until Graduation on 2 September 2024! A busy two years. For more information about the PG courses in Construction, take a look here and follow along on Instagram here: @oxfordbrookesconstruction.

Field Trip to Belgium and The Netherlands January 2023

Group photo in Antwerp (Museum Aan de Stroom) at the start of the field trip

A group of second year students from the undergraduate courses in Construction went on a field trip to Belgium and The Netherlands at the end of January 2023. Words by Lindsey Harrison and photos by Collin Kalayil Roy...

Day 1: After leaving Oxford Brookes at 4.30am the first stop was Antwerp in Belgium  where we stopped at the old port area. The new port is the largest in Europe and is a few miles out of town and the old port area has been developed for leisure. The centrepiece is the MAS Museum Aan de Stroom which was amazing to see. We spent time walking through it and going to the rooftop viewing area. We were able to see close up the innovative construction methods which allow for the corrugated glass panels to withstand the forces exerted on them, and to see also the extent of the detailing on the building, for example the hand motif used throughout which refers back to the myth about the founding of Antwerp.

The old port in Antwerp

Floating homes at Ijburg

Walking through Ijburg

Day 2: On our first full day in Amsterdam, we visited the Ijburg area where land has been created by making artificial islands from material dredged from the sea. Once the ground has stabilised the islands are built on. Apart from the incredible vision of this project and the very complex engineering challenges which are impressive enough in themselves, the other commendable aspect of the development is that it is not just creating residential housing but all the infrastructure has been planned out too so the area has excellent roads, public transport links, bike paths, schools, playparks and so on.

Alongside the islands there are also floating homes which are permanently tethered to the land but float on the water. Again this is an imaginative solution to Amsterdam’s problem of lack of space and abundance of water. It is also an interesting solution to the problems of flooding caused by water levels rising due to climate change. 

Sluishuis - the first floating structure in the Ijburg district. It is a residential building comprising
442 flats with 60% available to rent...

...and up on the roof where there are 2200 m2 of solar panels with an EPC rating of -0.02

In the afternoon we looked at some projects in central Amsterdam. This is an ambitious underground carpark at Ponsteiger which is being constructed underneath a canal. The engineering is complex and the canal has been emptied to allow construction to take place. All the materials are delivered by electric powered barge to cut down on construction traffic and reduce emissions. The crane is on runners so it can take the deliveries off the barge and put them down where they are needed on the site. The local residents had been opposed to this project and cutting construction traffic had been one way to address some of their concerns.

Carpark construction at Ponsteiger

Rotterdam where it was freezing cold...

Day 3: Rotterdam. Where we explored some of its distinctive architecture - cube homes built in the 1960s and striking and individual skyscrapers. The planners in Rotterdam seem very willing to allow new and innovative architecture. It has fewer heritage buildings than Amsterdam as it was badly bombed during the war and so it is free to reinvent itself, which it does with imagination and flair.

This is a floating office in Rotterdam Harbour, Rijnhaven, which is entirely off grid. One of the architects who works there gave us a tour and explained the main features of it. It uses the water in the harbour to regulate passive heating and cooling.

The floating office...

...and the tour

The Deloitte Building

At the end of our Rotterdam visit we were given a very interesting tour of the Deloitte Building by the facilities management team. We were very well looked after by them and by the end of the tour we had some real insights into what sort of problems an FM team faces every day in an effort to keep a building that size functioning.

Day 4:  And we visited the Zuid district of Amsterdam. Zuid is an area to the south of the city which is undergoing a very lengthy and extensive redevelopment. The hope is to place many of the businesses there which will ease the pressure on central Amsterdam both in terms of office space and traffic flow. Excellent public transport links have been planned and a range of building styles used to create interest. Emphasis has been placed on setting up a mixed community so that it has a sense of place rather than becoming a faceless business district.

The city planner, Paco Bunnik, gave us an interesting talk in the planners’ offices to explain the rationale behind this development and then a tour of some of the projects which have already been built.

Then we visited a Zuid project called The Valley, it is supposed to resemble a street but a vertical one. The architecture and construction quality were outstanding...

In the afternoon of our last day we were free to explore Amsterdam starting in the museum district with a visit to the Stedljik Museum of Modern Art.

Day 5: Return to Oxford via the Rotterdam Port Visitor Centre where the students had a go on a VR game to load up a container ship...

For more information about the courses at Oxford Brookes, take a look here:

The School of the Built Environment