Harris Your Place Q&A Series: Dave from Conlon Construction

A number of individuals and companies are responsible for the renovations currently taking place as part of the Harris Your Place project. This Q&A series sees us chat with those responsible about their involvement, and what their role is throughout the renovation project.

A person wearing a hard hat and high vis jacket stands outside the Harris.

Tell us a little more about your ties to Preston?

My wife’s from Bamber Bridge and she wanted to stay in Preston. I’d been living in Blackburn for 15 years since moving down from Middlesbrough. I’ve lived in Preston for 13 years and I love it. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. It’s an ideal place – if you want to go to the beach, you can get there in no time or you can be in the Lakes or Manchester. It’s absolutely brilliant!

Tell us a little more about the project you’re currently working on?

I’m the Site Manager of The Harris, I’ve been here from the very start. I was the first one on site and I’ll be the last to leave. I run the site from day to day. I’m the link between the designers and the tradesmen making sure the drawings are followed and everyone works safely and to a high standard. I deal with any problems that arise throughout the day which can be just about anything; no two days are ever the same.

Tell us a little more about what you like best about this project?

It’s interesting because it’s an iconic building, I’d only ever been to the building once before and when I came I was more interested in the building rather than the actual collection. I was walking up and down the stairs looking at the building and how amazing it was while my wife and children looked at the exhibits. It’s a pleasure to work here – an absolute honour. I’ve been here over 18 months and it still gives me a buzz coming to work each day.

Do you have any apprentices on site – it must be so exciting working on an important project at the start of your career?

Yes it’s been really rewarding for apprentices to start their career on a project of this scale – we have had a couple of joinery apprentices, a Trainee Site Manager and a Trainee Quantity Surveyor on a couple of days a week. We’ve had quite a few apprentice electricians on site as well.

Tell us a little more about how you got into your career path? What advice can you give young people starting out or looking for a career in construction?

Well, I left school at 16 and got a YTS as a joiner that progressed to an apprentice. I worked as a joiner eventually coming to Lancashire working on projects ranging from the M65 motorway to the Etihad stadium. I was asked if I wanted to train be a Site Manager, I wasn’t sure but the Site Manager I worked for at the time Peter Hargreaves said ‘I think you can do it’ so I went back to college and became a Site Manager and I’ve been a Site Manager for about 16/17 years now and I absolutely love it. The advice I would give any young person thinking of a career in construction is if you are willing to put the effort in and invest in yourself you can go as high as you want, construction is a fantastic industry to work in.