My first employment was with a small practice in Omagh, County Tyrone working on housing for two years. I then moved to the Department of Finance and Personnel in Belfast working on large government projects, mainly prisons and security buildings. Four years later I joined my current employer Building Design Partnership, a large multidisciplinary practice. I joined CIAT in 1983.

In the early 1980s BDP introduced CAD and in 1986 I was appointed CAD Manager for the Belfast office and as BDP expanded in Ireland, opening a Dublin office, I became CAD Coordinator for BDP Ireland. This role consists of ensuring CAD procedures are implemented within BDP Ireland and working in cooperation with the CAD Coordinators throughout BDP to implement the latest CAD software and best practice procedures firm wide. My responsibilities also include the implementation of NBS Building Specification within BDP Ireland.

The role of CAD Coordinator is only part of my remit at BDP with the majority of my time spent on architectural duties. The workload at BDP is extremely varied but I have mainly worked on large Industrial and Retail projects. The current project being the £330million Victoria Square Regeneration Project within Belfast city centre due for completion in early 2008 on which I have the role of technical coordinator.

I am on the Region 15 Northern Ireland Building Regulations Consultation Panel and was for a time involved with Ordinance Survey Northern Ireland consulting on new product developments.