MIKE MCCONNELL | INTERVIEW


provided an industrial lecture or two, where we could. Also, we identified and got to know the professors, because they knew their students best. We offered students summer vacation roles or year- outs doing work experience. This way we got to know what they could really do. “We knew that applicants would have


the academic background they needed, or they would not have got through their university courses; so we didn’t have to interview them about that. Instead, when we did do interviews we could talk about other, more important things such as the real-life projects they had worked on and how they had dealt with problems that arose on them. Half of engineering is working with and dealing with people; and without people skills and leadership the project won’t work. “I remember one applicant I


interviewed who came into the room sporting a huge black eye. Of course I asked him about it and he said he had got it captaining his rugby team the previous day. That led on to ‘Did you win or lose the match?’, ‘How did you inspire the team to turn the game round?’, and so on. Years later I met him again and he said: ‘Mike, at that interview I was expecting to be asked about my engineering skills, but you never even mentioned engineering!’ But what we had talked about was his leadership and team working skills – and he had those in spades. His advice to interviewees? “Talk about


something that will make you stand out and be different and be remembered. You don’t have to have a black eye, but for that particular engineer it certainly helped.” Ever since the mid 1980s – “that is


for about 40 years!” – Mike has been an active member of BTS. “I have given project feedback presentations at the Society, enjoyed many site visits and tried to become involved in the Q&A sessions. “Without doubt, my most memorable


event has been contributing to their 50th anniversary ‘Tunnelling Tales’ book and becoming active in its distribution to UK universities and schools.” Schools – “because how many 15-year-


olds really know what careers they want? Get them interested – even just get them aware of what is out there and it might help them choose an engineering course or apprenticeship.” And universities, too, he adds – “because


again this is good for recruitment. A lot of universities have said: ‘Yes, please, we


Above: Mike (left) was always very keen to help represent International, in these hard fought Balfour Beatty golf competitions, at Cowdray Park


actually want two copies because one will go into the library and one can be used for the students directly.’ The students themselves can learn so much from the practical aspects that are in that book: their university courses are very much on the theoretical side of things but the book has 250 tunnellers’ practical takes on what real tunnelling is all about.” Mike adds: “On that I


must put on record the invaluable support given to me by John Corcoran in his time as Chair of the BTS. That was especially shown on a joint presentation I did with BTS and the New Zealand Tunnelling Society in Auckland in October 2024. The logistics involved in flying an advance copy from the printers in Italy to New Zealand in time for the presentation were awe-inspiring. “It was great to see that


Above: Assembly of the 10m-diameter diversion tunnel shutter (manufactured in Italy) on Mrica Hydroelectric Project, central Java, Indonesia


the New Zealand format of meetings is very similar to ours, except that instead of sausage and chips they go for all-night pizzas. But the formula of a lecture, food, conversation, networking and mutual problem-solving with mates, is one that really works at both ends of the earth.


Over the coming years, it is hoped that we could possibly share each other’s projects, websites and videos. The BTS is certainly not just about tunnels, and with so many younger members of the BTS making an impact, its future looks bright.”


August 2026 | 39


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