Fabian Akaeze

Since completing his MSc in Strategic Project Management in 2022, Fabian has found employment at Turner and Townsend - a global consultancy business - where he has been able to develop his skills as an Assistant Project Manager by working across several commissions.

He is ambitious about his future and dedicated to his goal of leading a major organisation one day.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

I started my career as an Assistant Project Manager at Turner and Townsend and I was placed on the Portsmouth City Council commission as part of the Transport team. The projects were focused on installation of one-way systems, traffic calming measures, and the Bus service Improvement Plan Scheme.

After spending 10 months on the commission, I moved to Essex & Suffolk Water (a subsidiary of Northumbrian Water Group) as an ECCPM. I worked on NEC 4 contracts, risk management, design management and stakeholder management. I visited the sites of the projects that I managed, this helped me to understand and learn how to be a better project manager.

The projects that I managed were in different phases such as concept and design and delivery. Currently, I am on the Heathrow commission.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

A typical workday begins with boarding the train by 6.10am and heading to Stratford International. I take the Elizabeth Line and heading to Heathrow Terminal 3 where I board the N4 bus to Compass Center. After arriving at the client’s office, I find a workstation and review my to do list. I focus on the tasks that need to be urgently completed and in between I attend scheduled physical and virtual meetings. I have lunch at noon. I continue working on my to do list, respond to emails and receive new tasks to execute. On previous projects, I would go on site visits. By 5.00pm I head home.  

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

A professional highlight from my career so far is setting up a small business (Speak Express) back home in Lagos, Nigeria. I did the unthinkable as most of my peers at the time were in paid employment or applying for jobs and I took the tough road and started my own business.

I encountered countless setbacks in trying to get the business off the ground and looking back now I could have done things differently, but these experiences shaped my resilience and hunger to strive for greatness. Setting up Speak Express pushed me out of my comfort zone into a world that I was honestly not prepared to confront. My failures mean I can teach someone else how to do it right. Setting up a small business helped me see the world differently and taught me to look for solutions and not dwell too much on problems.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

Volunteering to become the student representative helped enhance my networking and leadership skills. Most importantly, it was attending extracurricular activities like ASPIRE, Bright Network Internship experience, my virtual internship (Choose Canterbury) and learning how to build my LinkedIn profile that led me to my current career. Understanding how to use LinkedIn before getting into the construction industry has been helpful for my career.

I built relationships with academic and non-academic staff and volunteered on their projects. The guidance I received from the careers and employability team on CV and cover letter writing helped me understand how to write my CV and cover letter to be considered for employment opportunities. As a student representative I helped my cohorts and embraced volunteering to make society a better place.

The academic side was useful but overall, the non-academic activities propelled me to my current career.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

I would advise current students to volunteer on projects and seek internships from smaller organisations. They must be willing to make mistakes and learn. They should enhance their communication skills to help them establish a network that can transform their careers.

Rather than applying to every job vacancy they find on job sites, they should endeavour to learn how to use LinkedIn properly while studying at the university. It’s important to be willing to start from the bottom in any organisation and learn to maximise opportunities irrespective of the role/wage as they can learn transferrable skills. They must create a flexible and realistic plan that appeals to them only and not the public. They should be open to relocation to other parts of the UK or the world.

If they get shortlisted for an interview, they should reach out to employees in the same role within that organisation for guidance. Do not just send a connection request on LinkedIn, send a connection request with a private message introducing yourself.

They must not hesitate to ask for help when they need it and learn to rise after countless rejections.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

My favourite memory from my time at Kent was my graduation ceremony held in November 2022. On that day I got to meet some of my cohort that I never met in person, and it was the last time that I saw everyone altogether. It was a day to remember as the Strategic Project Management cohort sat in the same area waiting to be called to receive our certificates.

I’m also proud of becoming the first student representative of the Strategic Project Management graduate programme. I set a high standard for subsequent student representatives, and they have lived up to expectations since. I loved that the opportunity enabled me to make an impact on the lives of my cohort and the university. One of my greatest achievements in the UK so far.

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

I would not do anything differently and I would not change any of my actions. I made the most of my time at Kent and I maximised every opportunity that came my way.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Yes, I am still in touch with many alumni from my cohort and Dr Lina Simeonova from Kent Business School. I call a few of them from time to time to find out how their careers and job search are going.

What are your future ambitions?

I would love to become a Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of a major organisation because I believe in my capacity to lead and drive transformational change. I realise this will not be an easy feat but I am ready to confront the world and play the game of life to win. I love a challenge!