Christina Nicolaou

What does your job involve?

Being accountable for the call off of the required steel for all of the project. Checking the quality of the steel works by checking compliance with the corresponding designed reinforcement drawings prior to concreting.

Liaising with both the reinforcement designer and the client’s representative with regards to construction drawings and issues/matters arising on site. Giving site inductions and producing health and safety weekly reports on a rotational basis with the rest of the site management team.

Liaising with the steel provider with regards to orders and deliveries, and with the sub-contractor undertaking the steel fixing. Undertaking quality checks on the reinforcement drawings, and raising issues concerning the site with the rest of the management team. Distributing drawings to both the workforce and engineers and being accountable for producing the concrete and form-work outputs.

What attracted you to City?

Reputation, City, University of London has really good reputation for various reasons. Gandhi, Thatcher and many others, that for me were great leaders, have graduated from City.

Also, the reputation for employability: City has a focus not only to provide students with all the appropriate academic knowledge but it goes beyond that to help them improve other skills that can be useful in any profession such as time-management, presentation skills, etc. Great support is also given to all of the students to achieve their personal and professional goals.

Now as a graduate alumni, I can see that what I've heard, is actually true: you are not only a member of the university while you are studying there, but you become a member for life.

What one piece of advice would you give someone preparing for their A-levels, Baccalaureat or other?

Study hard, give your best. To start off I believe A-levels are more critical than the degree itself. A-levels can be used as a key to open the gate for your career, they help you to gain entry to University; without this key you cannot open the door.

Also, certain A-levels can help you to choose from various university courses, so a student should do adequate investigation and research on the studies they are looking to undertake and focus on A-levels that are relevant or demanded for those specific courses.

A-levels are tougher than GCSEs, you need to understand the material prior sitting the exam, so students need to be engaged with the subjects they have chosen in order to do well. Being organised and studying enough are the critical keys that a student undertaking their A-levels should have. This definitely decreases the stress during exam periods, boosts confidence and eventually leads to really good results.

A-levels are also a stepping stone, they are a small taste of what the future of any student at University will be. They start to prepare you to become more time efficient, organising time wisely, catching up on deadlines, and most importantly working under pressure.