IPFA – A Day in the Life of Mweneni Nashilongo, WEPCo

We asked Mweneni Nashilongo, Assistant Project Manager at WEPCo a few questions to get to know her better:

1. Title & Role Summary
Title: Assistant Project Manager
Role summary: I work for the Welsh Education Partnership Company (WEPCo) as an Assistant Project Manager. WEPCo is a partnership between the Development Bank of Wales and Meridiam delivering education infrastructure in Wales.

My role is deeply intertwined with the project manager’s role. My daily tasks revolve around providing support to the  project manager across our projects on a variety of tasks in the project development process. This includes drafting and reviewing key project documentation, coordinating and attending project meetings, managing supply chain procurement and managing some financial and legal aspects of project development.

2. What does my role involve?
I am currently largely focused on the College Gwent Newport Knowledge Quarter project. This is a Further Education Facilities project that will house exciting programmes such as engineering, catering, hairdressing, and motorsports. I work closely with Neil Cutting, our Project Director and Lisa Garfield as the Project Manager. Together, with the additional support of the wider WEP team, we collaborate with our design team, liaison with the City Council and engage with our client to shape the project. We recently finished the RIBA Stage 2 of the project and we are excited to step into the next stage early next year.

I also spend time assisting on our schools in operation, RCT Primary Schools and Mynydd Isa with our technical projects managers, Paul Poole and David Linderman. On our schools operation, my work involves reviewing of monthly reports, site visits and supporting internal reporting needs.

3. What does a typical day look like?
There really is not much of a typical day in this role. Each day is different, but the focus is always moving the development process forward. But here are some things that happen in each day in varying order. My morning always starts with commute on the underground and train from London to the Cardiff Office, followed by a morning cup of matcha/water with an oat biscuit. This is followed by responding to emails, drafting or reviewing project documents, a catch up meeting with the broader development team (architects, engineers, QS, planners, subject specialists) and supporting on our teams on with the BIM needs or a site visit. These activities are broken up by lunch with colleagues, often with the wider FIM team, which is always a nice opportunity to catch on other project or any social matters.

4. What does success look like for me?
In my role, reaching the major project milestones but also successfully delivering in the different areas of the project development process on a day-to-day basis. With a bright as day team, we appreciate every step of the journey.

5. Why should people consider working in infrastructure?
Working in infrastructure is advocacy for access to the essentials that shape our daily lives; shelter, education, water, and the connections that keep us close to the people and things we love. It brings a fullness and dignity to countless lives.
The industry is diverse in its clientele, team composition, and project sectors, offering a wide range of career paths. For these reasons, infrastructure remains an exciting and rewarding field.

6. Top song to listen to when you have finished your work and study day?
Olivia Dean has been my go-to lately, and her album The Art of Loving is perfect.