“I came from a modest background, so the opportunity to enter formal tertiary education wasn’t possible” Quintis says. “Though it’s difficult to start a career in engineering without it, young people in a similar situation don’t have to let that hold them back. If you think you have found your path, go for it. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. You are your only door to this world, and you need to make sure that you open it.”
Quintis is passionate about mentoring young people who want to grow their career in BIM modelling and engineering alike. “I became a mentor and trainer in BIM because I had taught myself how to use the software when it was first released,” he recalls. “I did a demo of the software’s capability to my team at the time, and from there I was tasked with teaching others.”
From technical mentorship to personal coaching, Quintis makes it a point to support up-and-coming team members and help them thrive. “You can see when someone is struggling with something, and you can make such a difference just by offering to listen and providing technical help or personal support if it’s needed,” he says.
Quintis focuses on future planning on large projects, playing a key role in coordinating the BIM teams. “We are a team of about 30 people working on our current project,” he says. “Previously our local team worked with colleagues from WSP in Canada on the RER3 project in a coordination capacity between multiple disciplines. Currently we’re collaborating with colleagues from WSP in the Netherlands on a new tunnel in Belgium (Antwerp Oosterweelknoop) by implementing automation of reinforcement to the designed structure, to help minimise human error as well as speeding up the project timeline.”
Quintis provides this team with project management support and technical mentorship. He also works to manage changes in advance, making sure the team can adapt successfully. “WSP is at the forefront of digital design,” Quintis says. “By actively using leading technology like BIM360 and ACC, and continuously developing and learning as the software evolves has been key to putting us in this position. Our partnerships with our technology providers also mean we have a direct line to report and deal with software challenges, which helps us to stay leaps and bounds ahead of other market players.”
Quintis believes working with the latest in advanced technology and tools available is key to delivering the best possible work and productivity. He joined WSP in Property & Buildings and has since moved into the Transport & Infrastructure team, giving him experience across a broad range of projects.
“One of the things that I really enjoy about working at WSP is the respect that people have for your time and for work life balance. It makes such a difference to your quality of life,” he says.
Quintis creates his balance by cycling, running and hiking. “Just being outdoors and active is important when you spend so much time behind about a laptop during the week,” he explains. “A little bit of time in the sunshine with friends goes a long way towards keeping a healthy balance.”
