Building the Future
A Day in the Life of an Assistant Supervisor on the A9 Dualling Project
Have you ever wondered what it is really like to work on a live construction site? For Gregor Moffat, an Assistant Supervisor Engineer working on the A9 Dualling project at Tomatin to Moy, every day brings something different on site. Gregor has worked in the civil engineering industry for eight years and has spent three years on this project, including one year based on site.
Gregor’s interest in engineering started early. At school, he enjoyed maths, physics and design, but his love of building things began even before that, through playing with Lego and K’nex, making sandcastles, building dams in local burns and figuring out how things worked. For Gregor, engineering is all about solving problems, taking on challenges and finding creative ways to make things happen.
So, what does an Assistant Supervisor actually do?
Gregor’s role is all about helping make sure work on site is being carried out safely, correctly and to a high standard. He supports site inspectors with their daily tasks, checks the contractor’s quality procedures and helps identify when issues need to be raised.
He does not work alone. A big part of the job involves working with site supervisors, project managers, designers and contractor teams. That means communication is really important, whether Gregor is out on site, reviewing information in the office or helping decide when the contractor needs to be notified about something.
The skills he uses most often include problem solving, communication, engineering common sense, understanding designs and knowing the project’s scope and specification. In other words, it is not just about knowing the technical details. It is also about asking the right questions, spotting issues and working well with other people.
What happens during a typical day?
Gregor’s day usually starts at 8am. First, he checks his emails, reviews any inspections that are planned, looks at the day’s site activities and catches up on any tasks left over from the day before.
After that, he may head out on site with the inspectors, support them with their duties, investigate any issues that have been spotted and complete office-based checks linked to the contractor’s quality procedures. This can include auditing material approvals, checking whether they have been accepted or rejected correctly and logging safety observations raised by the supervisor team.
But on site, no two days are exactly the same. Plans can change quickly because of last-minute inspection requests, urgent tasks from leadership, unexpected meetings or even a safety incident that means work has to stop. That variety is one of the things Gregor enjoys most. After working in an office where many days felt similar, he likes that site work keeps him engaged and makes the day go quickly.
Safety spotlight: Speak up if you see something unsafe. Everyone wants to make sure people go home safely to their families and friends at the end of the day.
Safety comes first
Working on a construction site can be exciting, but safety is always the top priority. Gregor stays safe by being alert to his surroundings and taking time to reassess situations if something has changed unexpectedly.
He follows the contractor’s health and safety procedures, as well as his own company’s guidance. His advice is clear: never do anything you feel is unsafe, remove yourself from unsafe situations and speak up if you see something that does not look right.
On site, Gregor wears PPE, which stands for personal protective equipment. This includes a hard hat, hi-vis vest or jacket and trousers, safety boots, gloves and glasses. When the weather is poor, extra warm layers are also important.
The coolest thing Gregor has seen on site
One of the most impressive things Gregor has seen on the project was a 500-tonne crane used to construct the Moy rail bridge. The crane was so large that another crane was needed just to build it and take it apart again.
That gives a real sense of the scale of work involved in major infrastructure projects. Some of the equipment used on site is huge, and every task needs careful planning, teamwork and attention to detail.
What subjects and skills can help?
If you are interested in a role like Gregor’s, school subjects such as maths, physics and graphic communication can be really useful. Gregor also says that anything that helps you practise problem solving, asking questions and thinking logically will help, because these are key skills used by engineers.
Teamwork is just as important. Gregor compares it to Formula 1. You might see the driver on race day, but behind them is a whole team of engineers, pit crew, designers, factory workers and others working towards the same goal. Engineering is similar. Big projects depend on lots of people working together, each bringing different skills and ideas.
Gregor’s advice to young people
Gregor’s advice is to work hard, do things you enjoy and push yourself to try new experiences, even if they feel outside your comfort zone. He says that every mistake, failure and success is a learning experience that can help you grow and become better.
So, if you enjoy solving problems, asking questions, working with others and seeing how things are built in the real world, a career in civil engineering could be a great path to explore. You never know, one day you could be helping to shape major projects like the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy project too.
