Lee Ward of Palgrave Brown, aged 21, designs trussed rafter systems to support the roofs of buildings, and works with architects and specifiers.

“Work-based training via my local college brought me into engineered timber products a few years ago. Initially I worked with a company producing engineered timber flooring systems before moving to Palgrave Brown where I design roof structures. People don’t appreciate the complex design process that goes into building a roof. We use trigonometry to calculate which elements we need to use to support the roof and no two jobs are the same. I work with architects and housebuilders to determine their requirements and sometimes go out on site to take measurements if these have not already been provided. I then use a computer software package to draw up the job and I’m responsible for pricing the elements and getting the quote out to the customer. I have my own group of customers to look after and it’s really rewarding to see the jobs coming in and know that you’ve managed to generate good sales for the company.

“Each job requires its own specific design and the skills we learn and use as roof designers are very much sought-after across the industry. With the growth of sustainable building, job security is not an issue: there just aren’t enough designers about. It’s very interesting work and as a career I’d recommend it to anyone interested in building. The timber industry can also show where its materials have come from and prove their sustainability. Our timber carries PEFC certification and we know that trees are regularly replanted so there will always be a good supply of timber available. There are many good things in our lives that come from timber and we should let the public know more about our industry.”