Directors speak to GCU and university students

Alumnus of Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Thomas Brady and Michael Gribben spoke to the university and its students about xburo and their early careers.

The pair shared some insights into what it meant to study at GCU and what has driven them to succeed in their sector.

Recently named Best Small Consultancy of the Year at the Consultancy and Engineering Award 2023, the directors spoke to GCU about xburo’s offering as expert mechanical, electrical and sustainability experts with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London and a reach across Scotland and the UK. The company also has an international connection with an Australian-arm based in Brisbane and Cairns.

Q&A – With Thomas Brady & Michael Gribben

How did your career start?

“My career started as a 16-year old, as an apprentice and I graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1998. When I started off we were told it’s an industry where if you put the drive and commitment into it, you will succeed. It’s like everything else in life. The more you put in, the more you get out.

“And did I see myself being director of an engineering company, doing what I do now? Probably not. But at the end of the day, its like everything else. If you have the commitment and you put the focus into what you’re doing, then the world is your oyster. And it can be a fantastically rewarding career.” – Thomas Brady

Why did you choose to study at GCU?

“GCU has a really good reputation for the built environment long before I thought about going there. I always wanted to build something and contribute something to the built environment through creating something. I probably didn’t appreciate how important it was when I chose to go to GCU and I certainly couldn’t be where I am today without it, and having that strong knowledge of both mechanical and electrical systems.” – Michael Gribben

Any advice for GCU engineering graduates?

“Within industry, there is always numerous challenges and one of my main takeaways from being at university was how you approach a challenge. Every engineer will make mistakes. No one is immune to making mistakes. But the measure of a good engineer is how you respond to the mistake and how you come up with a solution because people will always remember how you did that.” – Thomas Brady.

“It’s important to recognise that there is a series of milestones and building blocks that you have got to achieve. What you have achieved at GCU is this wonderful foundation. What you’ve actually come away with is an understanding of how this works, how to write reports, how to communicate, and its all very important skills. But just enjoy what you do, be a sponge, soak it all up and learn all the time and you will move very quickly.” – Michael Gribben.