Lyndon Bragg

Apart from my academic & professional qualifications as the highlights in my career, rebuilding two failed dams at Soudley ponds would be the biggest achievements.  Both dams breached & failed in both instances one in 2012, the other in 2013 & caused damage to the environments below, which included a small population of native ‘white tailed crayfish’.  Therefore rebuilding them as quick as possible was imperative.  This involved large muck shifting works, importing large quantities of fill, compacting, re-profiling, clay lining & other associated road works, drainage works, path & car park works.

Education

2013 – To Date: Progressing towards Chartered Status CEng MICE, IAgrE

2014:   Obtained IEng MIAgrE  professional accreditation through EC (UK) & IAgrE respectively.

2013: Obtained CSCS (Health & Safety) white card professionally qualified person status

2007 – 2009:  Bsc (Hons) Degree in Civil & Construction Engineering at Allt-yr-yn University of Wales, Newport. (2.1)

2006 – 2007: HND Civil & Construction Engineering at Allt-yr-yn University of Wales, Newport. (Exam results – Merit/Distinction).

Obtaining Eng Tech TMICE professional accreditation through EC (UK) & ICE respectively.

Obtaining CSCS (Health & Safety) Gold card site supervisors status.

2004 – 2006: HNC Civil & Construction Engineering at Allt-yr-yn University of Wales, Newport. (Exam results - Merit)

2002 – 2004: ONC Civil & Construction Engineering at Pontypool College. (Exam results – Merit/Pass)

1999 – 2001: ND Countryside Studies at Usk College, (Results – Pass)

1996 – 1998: Fairwater comprehensive School: 8 GCSEs grades A-C including Maths, English & Science

Work History

Sept 08 – To date July 2013

District Civil Engineer for Forestry Commission England covering the West of England Forest District.

I have been employed by the Forestry Commission as their regional / district civil engineer for 7 years.  I hold a budget of £1m excluding any externally funded projects & have two direct staff, a works supervisor & grader driver.  I take responsibility for:

• Design, construction & maintenance of roads, paths, bridges, car parks, dams, lakes & retaining structures.

Responsible for:

• Design, construction & maintenance of projects to Forestry Commission specifications & relevant British Standards.

• Producing contract documents for tender.

• Programming inspection regimes & implementing any maintenance work required.

• Programming maintenance regimes for grading works.

• Production of risk assessments, pre-tender health & safety plans, construction phase plans all in accordance with CDM regs.
• Signing off schemes upon satisfactory completion.
• Staff and team development and training.
• Supervising of works on-site.
• Control of tight budgets.

• Scheduling, programming and co-ordinating works.

Positions of Responsibility

2008 – to date

District civil engineer, responsible for:

• Organising, budgeting & delivering various schemes to tight budgets.
• Liasing & reporting to all levels of staff from senior management to work-force.
• Production of contract documents for tender.
• Producing estimates for various works to the client.
• Manage direct staff, including timesheets, leave, overtime, expenses, sickness, return to work etc.

• As we have no direct works staff all work is contracted out.  This means that at any given time there could be numerous different sites with any number of work-force on each site that I have to manage.  Sites can also be spread over large distances.
• Carry out road, bridge, dam & retaining structure inspections & carry out any necessary remedial works.

How has IAgrE helped me

IAgrE has helped me develop my skills in my profession of civil engineering within a forestry environment. I chose to become a member of this professional body to benefit from specialised training programmes, the opportunity for networking and mentoring opportunities, and to hear industry news.  This has helped me to further my knowledge & skills no end.  I cannot recommend joining enough.