Engineering the Future of Steel
At Shufflebottom we believe our staff is our greatest asset. Without them, we wouldn’t be the £25 million business employing 87 staff that we are today. That’s why we are keen to invest in and nurture new talent. We know it’s good for business, for the local economy and importantly for the career development and ambitions of the young people we take on board.
One of our latest assets is the infectiously enthusiastic and highly talented Mary Mareena James who has been with us a Graduate Structural Engineer since October 2022 following her successful completion of her MSc in Structural Engineering at Cardiff University, respected globally as one of the best for Engineering.
We’re always open to encouraging graduates to apply to us as did Mary. Shufflebottom Director, Wesley Shufflebottom, followed up on her CV before she even finished her dissertation in August 2022 and knew we could be mutually beneficial to each other: she had a great skill-set and the ambition that would fit in well here in the office at Cross Hands and we could offer her the training, mentoring and career trajectory that would set her on the path of achieving her aims – to be a Chartered Engineer.
Mary is now part of our team of steel, working under with wing of her mentor, our Chartered Engineer, Steve Magness, who she cannot praise highly enough for the depth of experience he is so willing to share with her, which she says is not typical of the experience of many of her contemporary post-graduates. She says she loves the huge learning curve she is on and the way she is being taught. She cites Steve’s longevity of experience too, in that his experience is rooted in a hands-on pre-digitalisation world which gives him an instinctive feel for Structural Engineering and specialised steel structures which she is benefiting from. This is so satisfying for us to hear at Shufflebottom.
Mary also cites the open and accessible working culture at Shufflebottom which employs more than the national average number of female employees seen in the construction sector, typified by the high number of males. She is proud to fly the flag for women of steel and break the mould. She believes steel is the future: its strength and durability taking over from concrete in its potential uses. Mary also flags up the staff at Cross Hands, from management who have supported her in all aspects of her visa process as she relocated from Kuwait, to the friendliness of the office staff.
Mary has not only settled into the Shufflebottom family but to the wider community in nearby Carmarthen where she has made her home. So much so, that she is now a member of the mixed rowing club which meets up twice a week to row and to socialise.
The transition from education to employment can sometimes be abrupt. We are so pleased that everything is going so smoothly and we are enabling Mary to gain real experience in the world of work which will help her realise the ambitions she outlines below. It’s great to have her on board!
“Graduating with a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from Cardiff University has provided me with the advanced knowledge and skills within this specialist professional area of Civil Engineering. This degree has helped me acquire the most up-to-date expertise and development in steel, concrete, and timber, structural dynamics and structural mechanics such as finite element analysis, and plastic analysis of structures.
I am looking forward to applying my knowledge and skills in the real world here at Shufflebottom and making a positive impact on the business and society. I am also eager to learn more and explore new opportunities in the field of structural engineering.”
Mary Mareena James
Graduate Structural Engineer
Shufflebottom, August 2023