Experience Counts

18th May 2021

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At Soben we are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. We understand that our backgrounds and experiences, both educational and personal, make us who we are.

Here we introduce Sandy Milroy Managing Surveyor at Soben, who has had a career in the construction industry spanning over 50 years.

Sandy began his career in quantity surveying in the 1970s as an apprentice at James McAuley & Son, working his way up through the ranks to become partner in the same business in 1983, providing bills of quantities for large construction projects throughout Scotland.

Through his relationship with Soben NXD Paul Moultrie who started his own career at James McAuley & Son, Sandy was introduced to Scott Smyth, Founder and CEO of Soben, who was looking to grow his newly created business.

Over time, Sandy developed a partnership with Scott, and now oversees the management of client relationships and design and measurement teams, ensuring that client requirements are met and translated to the Bills of Quantities (BQs) Soben provides.

“Continuing my career later in life is not for everyone, but I get a huge amount from being involved in the working world in my seventies,” says Sandy. “I appreciate it even more when I see friends of a similar age who aren’t able to work due to ill-heath.

“Being part of the workforce, particularly during the pandemic, has been very important to me. Many people my age who are retired were very isolated during the last 12-18 months. I am fortunate not only to have work to keep me occupied, but also to have the camaraderie and friendship of colleagues who I have worked with for a number of years, albeit virtually more recently.

“The Soben team is made up of a great bunch of people and I enjoy working with all of them. Bringing over 50 years of construction industry experience to the team can be a real asset. I am more than happy to be on hand to advise on any issues with the wider team, to talk through any concerns or discussion points before we go back to the client, or even just to advise on the use of an archaic construction industry term.

“There has been a huge number of changes to way the construction industry operates, and in particular how we at Soben make use of technology to create our bills of quantities. It’s exciting to see the changes in the way we work, and how fast we are able to turn around a project. And I certainly don’t miss the days of mentally calculating costs by multiplying yards, feet and inches by pounds, shillings and pence!”

Scott Smyth commented; “Having someone with Sandy’s wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge of the construction industry on the Soben team is invaluable to us. Our team members understand that he is someone they can turn to for advice or counsel on everything from technical issues to client management. He is a truly valued member of our team.”

 

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