Steve is a Green Roof Installation Supervisor in Milton Keynes. He oversees a team working to create sustainable living roofs - vegetated layers that sit on top of waterproofed roof surfaces of a building. We asked Steve to tell us about his job and how he got into the industry.
I’m Steve – I work for Bridgman & Bridgman LLP as a Green Roof Installation Supervisor and I have worked with the organisation for 12 years.
Day to day, I plan the logistics of a project - we often visit sites before we do a job to work out how we are going to get the materials to the roof safely. I supervise the installation of the roof, making sure the job looks good. A big part of my role is maintaining a good relationship with the customer – talking them through the work and keeping disruption and delays to a minimum. I also oversee my staff, making sure they know what tasks they have to do and that they complete these safely.
The best part of my job teamwork and job satisfaction, knowing I’m leaving a job well done. Some jobs are more challenging than others. When we work on a project involving more intricate shapes, pitches, or planting, it feels good when we complete and achieve it. I also enjoy going back to past jobs for maintenance and seeing the roof doing well. Unfortunately, when green roofs are done poorly, it has a knock-on effect on the whole industry - it’s important to me that we install good quality systems that will thrive. I’m particularly proud of working on the Ikea Greenwich green roof - 3,500m2 with 4 types of roof: segregated biodiverse, sedum, a wildflower meadow and raised urban farming beds.
I’ve completed a lot of training relating to my role including several Lantra courses related to the installation and maintenance of green roofs. I’ve also completed courses that allow me to work at height safely, such as using a harness or telehandler, and hold the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test and ROLO Health & Safety Card. Having a Skilled Worker CSCS card has given me the ability to work onsite which is essential for many new build projects that we work on.
We work quite a lot in London throughout the year, with existing roof maintenance taking place in spring and autumn. The tech side of this job happens before we get onsite, such as product and garden design and structural engineering. My job is mainly practical - we use technology tools such as Google Earth and sat navs, as well as plant equipment. I need to make sure we have enough growing medium (substrate) for the sedum to grow in. It’s also important to me to keep a tidy site and deal with waste safely.
The weather can be challenging to deal with in this job – high winds can slow down a project. Other challenges include logistics - as we are working with a living product, we need to make sure it is in place as soon as possible. As a team we need to be flexible when deliveries are delayed and adapt to make sure the living product is taken care of.
Green roofs have many benefits for the planet - reducing the heat island effect, increasing biodiversity, and helping with carbon capture. It would be great if more people were trained across the country so that we could do more jobs locally. I would like to move to a less physical role as I get older. I like showing new people how to build green roofs and have lots of experience to share, so delivering practical training might be good for me in the future. It’s great being outside - the practical work keeps you fit, with lots of problem-solving and teamwork - we all look out for each other and get the job done.
Abi is a Green Roof Installer and Grower in Milton Keynes. She helps create sustainable living roofs - vegetated layers that sit on top of waterproofed roof surfaces of a building. We asked Abi to tell us about her job and how she got into the industry.
I’m Abi – I work for Bridgman & Bridgman LLP as a Green Roof Installer and Grower. I will have been with the organisation for 6 years in July – I started right after leaving school; I wanted to gain some work experience which led to a 2-year apprenticeship, and I moved to full-time employment when that came to an end.
My work can vary - I split my time between our plant nursery and jobs working with the team installing and maintaining green roofs across the UK. The best part of my job is teamworking and learning plant knowledge from the other people I work with. I also enjoy being creative and helping to design planting schemes. It was great to be involved in the Ikea Greenwich green roof, creating areas for wildlife, nature, and rooftop farming. I am proud of many of the living roofs that we have created.
Spring and summer are our busiest for growing at the nursery - we grow sedum, wildflower and plug plants for planting on living roofs. The rest of the year, our activities will depend on what our activities and priorities are.
Planning a project including logistics of materials is a massive part of the process - making sure things arrive onsite at the right time is essential. Green roofs tend to be one of the last jobs to be done when working on a new building project, so we need to plan as much as possible and always be willing to adapt as schedules change. Adverse weather such as wind can also slow down a build and be quite frustrating!
I’ve completed a lot of training relating to my role – I started by gaining my Level 2 Diploma in Work-based Horticulture and have since completed several courses related to the installation and maintenance of green roofing. I’ve also completed courses that allow me to work at height safely, such as using a harness or mobile elevated work platform (MEWP). I now hold a Blue Skilled Worker LISS/CSCS (Land-based Industry Skills Scheme / Construction Skills Certification Scheme) Card, so I am trained to install green roofs safely on building sites as well as residential properties.
Living roofs are a part of the solution to becoming a more sustainable society - they have many benefits including reducing the heat island effect, where urban areas are significantly warmer due to human activities and improving biodiversity. You need to like being outside, enjoy physically hard work, and be okay working at height - teamworking, good communication skills, and being able to work safely are essential skills when working with green roofs. If you want to do something practical that benefits the environment, working in green roofing can be an enjoyable and rewarding career.
Technology can be used to help farmers and growers in several ways! Advancements allow farmers to make data-driven decisions and forecasting, ultimately leading to better practices and improved access to food products. We spoke with Edwin Nichols of Drone Ag about how he started his career with technology, his current role, and, how drones can be used the support farming activities.
What is your name, company name, and job title?
Hello, I am Edwin, the Drone Systems Lead at DroneAg. As a member of a small yet agile organisation, fulfil a range of responsibilities as necessary. Our company is located near the town of Alnwick, situated in the countryside of Northumberland.
What does Drone Ag do?
Our primary focus is centred on software development and the provision of drone systems. Additionally, we provide training on the usage of our systems for agricultural purposes, as well as for other related products in the market. Our overarching objective is to facilitate efficient and streamlined farming practices by providing software and training for drone systems. Specifically, our product offering encompasses automating crop scouting, and enhancing overall farming productivity.
What are your typical jobs on a given day?
Daily, we start our workday by addressing standard email inquiries, which may regard either sales or custom support requirements. A significant portion of our time is dedicated to manual in-house app testing. In addition, we are supporting a multitude of funded and personal projects. We have the freedom to explore varied opportunities for the implementation of technology into land-based sectors. As a team, we attempt to broaden our social media outreach, which will enable us to reach new audiences and promote our products. Finally, to ensure effective communication and coordination, we conduct daily meetings and participate in onboarding calls for training purposes.
What skills are valuable to your role?
In my job, I use different skills to help the company. Good time management is one of these skills that helps me do things on time and work better. Being able to speak confidently to groups is also important because it helps me explain things and talk with people who are interested in what the company does. This is especially important when selling because a good presentation can generate more interest in buying our products or services.
Are there any qualifications/skills/experience needed to get into your type of role?
Different jobs at the company need different things. To work in software development, you usually need to have gone to college, but for sales, it's not always necessary to know about agriculture, even though it can be helpful. I have studied agriculture and have a degree in it, which has been useful in my current job. I also keep up with new technology by taking short courses and getting certificates to fly different types of drones. Our company believes it's important to help employees learn new skills. For example, we recently hired someone who only had A-level qualifications, but they've already learned how to test apps and are now enrolled in a programming course.
Is technology important to your role?
Without a doubt, we firmly believe that technology represents the future of agriculture. As the world's population continues to grow, the need for increased food production is becoming more pressing. Naturally, there is always the possibility that some of our ideas may not succeed, but we remain steadfast in our commitment to utilising technology to maximise productivity and efficiency in agriculture.
How can this technology be used to make farming practices more productive?
Robots can work 24/7 resolving problems in the field, using knowledge from farmers to help with this and working alongside other companies collaboratively. We pride ourselves on working alongside other tech firms to accomplish industry-wide goals of technological advancement. There is new technology constantly being developed and it is a very exciting sector in which to be involved.
How can this have a positive impact on the land-based sector?
I think it will have a positive impact as it will be great to see more young people in the sector. The majority of what we see are individuals coming from ‘farming families’ so it would be nice to see others who present new ideas/views. They may have a lack of practical knowledge, but this can be learned on the job.
Is there anything unique about your product?
We are one of the very few companies that are combining automated drone imaging and artificial intelligence - we are farmers who know drones. Our app ‘Skippy Scout’ helps people make more informed decisions on their crops.
Are there busier times of the year than others?
Yes, absolutely the harvest period to drilling is quite a busy time for farmers, as well as us. The rush period starts in Spring with March and April being busy. The summer months are busy with attending trade shows to connect with new customers and other organisations in the industry.
Does your job involve a lot of travelling?
Yes, I have done quite a lot of travelling, mostly in Europe and Canada. It is one of the benefits of the job, and as there are opportunities for Drone Ag around the world, we are looking to expand further. We get to experience the tech culture of different markets on visits, as well as gain a bit of local agriculture knowledge.
What’s the best part of your job?
For me, it’s going to various trade shows, meeting new people, and working on different ideas to optimise farming operations. Most of our ideas come from our clients, and we take their advice seriously. Technology can be applied to agriculture in many ways, and this is always an exciting prospect.
Is there anything you are particularly proud of?
Yes, I was the third employee of the company when I first started. Now there is a team of twelve, and we are still expanding in Europe. I started in my role following a working placement year as an intern at the university. The pay was initially quite low, but I stayed due to seeing potential in the business and its future. It is important to realise experience can be worth much more than money - you choose to work with a company. The future is always unknown but especially with technology roles, it’s believing it will develop into something bigger and better.
Are there any challenges in your job?
Yes, the main challenge is that we are engaging with farmers in working environments, so it can be difficult for them to change their practices. If you can ensure they will be making more money and get people to understand how using drones can truly help the process, then that’s a great outcome.
How is your job supporting sustainable agriculture?
A majority of Ag tech is there to make processes greener and more efficient. Using fewer chemicals and pesticides is a clear benefit that comes with using technology to optimise operations.
If you had to convince someone else of the benefits of a career in your line of work, what would you say to them?
I would say every day is different - I have many friends who work in offices and complain they must do the same thing each day. This is one of the things you never get in technology as you are constantly trialling and testing new equipment.
What do you think the future looks like for your company?
It’s an exciting time - we are planning to expand the team this year as we have several large projects that need various expertise. We are also expanding abroad, and bringing our solutions to new markets will be a step in the right direction for Drone Ag.
Are there any future skills already identified?
That is quite difficult to say because things are constantly changing quickly. You must have the willingness to learn all the time, even if you have been in the sector for a long time. Furthermore, a belief in the future of agriculture is important. Looking forward is the best way to generate new ideas and provide solutions.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
We are keen for young people to get involved in the industry and the best place to start is to ask around. Even on social media, be confident enough and ask if roles are available, this shows that you are keen and have a level of interest.
Ben Lewis works and runs his farm in Cwrtnewydd, near Lampeter, which was inherited through his grandfather at the age of 16. Starting his fourth year, studying BSc in Agriculture at Harper Adams University.
During his Second year of university, he gained a scholarship with The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which was aimed at students from traditionally underrepresented areas in the rural economy. This has enabled him to travel to various locations, take part in farming conferences, visit different farms, and go to diverse events to engage.
As well as pursuing his education, Ben is passionate about continuing his grandfather’s legacy of building strong and long-lasting land. “This is the best job in the world, I like being outdoors and amongst animals so for me, farming was a no-brainer.” He went on to add: “For those who do not have their farm, talk to different kinds of people, even join a Young Farmers Club, you have nothing to lose and where you can apply for scholarships.” Ben believes this is the best time to get into farming due to the industry demands increasing.
Advanced technologies can revolutionise farming, and throughout Ben’s experience, he appreciates the need for efficient approaches. “I was given a grant for a GPS tracker to use machinery more efficiently, and an ID reader which supports me in identifying the animals quickly, especially if there are any problems”.
With so many mouths to feed and nature to restore and sustain, farming may well be the most important job on the planet. During Ben's placement year at Howard farms, in Nottingham and Carlisle, he noticed working sustainably and ‘green’ was an important factor. “The whole point of introducing livestock to Howard farms was to revitalise and fertilise the soil that had been degraded after decades of arable use.” Being financially stable was essential to, focusing on cutting down costs through implementing an 8-year crop rotation method to future-proof the land, while reducing pest and disease pressure, thus making an environmentally and financially sustainable cropping system.
Ben has ambitions to continue building his farm efficiently by conducting soil tests, and though this is a lengthy and difficult process, the benefits, and pride override anything. “Yes, it can be challenging, and maintaining a balanced home and work life takes time, still my proudest moments are going to university to study and choosing a farm that was most suited for me during my placement year, though it was not close to home”.
Feeding the planet isn’t a simple ask, it’s complex and multi-dimensional yet if you can be hands-on, open-minded, and have patience within the process of building soil strength, crop growing, and animal health, “anyone can join, because there are so many sectors in Agriculture, it’s an extremely diverse and progressing industry.”
