Ben Honour

Introducing Ben Honour, one of our Senior Project Engineers! We asked Ben a few questions to get to know more about his role at CAN and what is on his bucket list!

What does a typical workday look like for you?

No day is the same, there are always internal and external drumbeat meetings and regular reporting requirements that are needed to be delivered on my current projects. I always try to make time to proactively manage the projects I work on, applying the skills and learnings I have taken from my APM PFQ and PMQ. Unsurprisingly there is an amount of reactive situation management too. I also make sure I get away from my desk and take in some fresh air around the rural setting of the CAN offices, the countryside sounds and fresh air are always a good distraction to reset and refresh the mind during the working day.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from your career so far?

Nothing beats the value of going to someone’s desk or calling them on the phone or teams to talk through something. It is a very underestimated skill or tactic from a project / people management angle to get something resolved or explained. Of course, following up in writing is always good to clarify the conversation to avoid confusion.

What is your proudest professional achievement to date?

Being part of the UK’s nuclear defence programme. The two and a half years of work on the project has taught me a lot about project management and engineering design.

What is on your bucket list?

I would love to go to the boxing day test at the MCG during an ashes series. The atmosphere of 100,000 people watchin the cricket is something I would like to experience, what would be even better is if the English team were on top in the game too….

If you could have dinner with one historical figure, who would it be and why?

Shane Warne, I would love to hear some of his stories from throughout his career and his take on the mind games applied in cricket and wider sport. I expect the dinner bill would also include a couple of bottles of wine too, as the interesting and more entertaining stories would need to be coaxed out!!