While engineers are generally thought to be taciturn, getting the message across is actually an integral part of their job, especially at big jobs with a multinational crew.
'On a work site, you meet tens if not hundreds of people, and you have to avoid misunderstandings at all costs. You even have to be good at the written language and the communication of engineering concepts by hand drawings,' says Peter Ip, technical director at Dragages Hong Kong.
'You have to work with clients, consultants, sub-contractors and production staff. It's nothing but communication and teamwork.'
Ip, who works for the company that first made its name in Hong Kong with the construction of the Kai Tak airport runway in 1955, has very clear ideas about the personality that best fits the industry. He bases this opinion on his 26-year experience with Dragages and other construction companies.
'Problem-solving is an equally important skill, as engineers are exposed to unconventional problems each day. And problems bring daily challenges - people have to be keen to accept challenges,' he says, and to 'take each challenge as an opportunity to learn'.
The company recruits two kinds of candidates. One batch is Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) scheme A trainees. These applicants are thoroughly grilled, and have to show the right mindset, problem-solving skills, in-depth knowledge of what construction is about, and an all-rounded personality with wide interests that increase their creativity.