Championing construction

We catch up with recent National Building and Construction Award winner Michael Brearey to find out how he is using his experience – from labourer to CABE Fellow – to inspire the next generation of industry professionals.

When Michael Brearey FCABE won the title of ‘Construction Champion’ at this year’s National Building and Construction Awards, it was worthy recognition of his extensive volunteering work promoting the construction industry to young people. But, in another sense, Michael’s career story in itself – starting off as a labourer and progressing to become managing director, CABE Fellow and CABE regional committee Chair – champions the potential within this industry for people who are willing to seize the opportunities available to them.

"I fell into the construction industry by accident," explains Michael.

"I took a job as a labourer when I was 22. I started working up to driving vans and delivering items, then I moved into site management, then procurement, then contracts management. Then I became operational director and eventually managing director of the same company. And during the same period, I also did a quantity surveying degree and a business degree.

"That company had a turnover of £1–2 million when I joined as a labourer and when I left, after five years as managing director, the company was turning over £15 million."

Exciting times

Perhaps unexpectedly considering his obvious aptitude and enthusiasm, Michael was headhunted from his managing director role to lead a fledging construction department for Cardinal Ltd in Bradford. Then he was headhunted again, this time to his current role as Group Head of Construction and Maintenance for Mount St John, the extensive estate in North Yorkshire owned by former Morrison’s supermarkets director, Chris Blundell. 

"From being contractor side for 22 years I moved to being client side, thinking that would be easier, but it’s really not," Michael laughs.

"I look after all the properties on the private estate, including a Grade Two Star listed building, some other listed buildings, restaurants and a hotel, staff houses and houses that we rent out to tenants. There is also an equestrian business, so I look after all those buildings; an agricultural business, so I look after the farms; and there is a sporting business, which does live shooting and has a shooting lodge that I look after."

However, in September 2024, Michael also set up his own business – Brearey Building Experts – offering his services in consultancy capacity. Such has been the reaction to this venture that Michael has handed in his notice with Mount St John and, from January 2026, he will be focused on BBE full-time.

Beyond the day job

While Michael’s employment circumstances may be changing, that is only one aspect of his life in construction. Possibly a more important factor that led to him winning the NBCA Construction Champion award is his unpaid, volunteering activities.

Among other things, he is Chair of CABE’s Yorkshire and Humber branch; Chair of the north-east Yorkshire and Humber branch of the CIOB; he is student lead at the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire branch of the Association of Project Managers; he is Project Professional in Residence at the Leeds Centre for Projects, run by the University of Leeds; and Michael also helps to judge HNC and HND student work.

Those last three roles in particular highlight his passion for giving back to the industry by inspiring young people to develop – or even simply choose – a career in construction. In fact, just two days before we spoke, Michael had been involved in a CIOB Student Challenge Day at University Campus North Lincolnshire in Scunthorpe, with teams from different regional universities coming up with ideas to address the housing crisis.

"I massively enjoy these roles and the satisfaction I get from helping students is immense," Michael says.

"One of the students from the Challenge Day has already got in touch with me on LinkedIn and has asked if I could do some mentoring with him. That’s the kind of thing that I absolutely love – actually knowing that you are making a difference."

CABE into the future

Michael’s involvement with CABE also plays a large part in these aims.

"When I joined CABE, it was about recognition," notes Michael. "It’s a badge of honour among your peers and among the industry, and to be recognised as part of a professional association like that – as a student member, member or as a Fellow – I think is an amazing thing."

Now, his role as a CABE regional committee chair, allows him to help guide the next generation of potential members.

“I do a lot of work in schools and colleges steering people into the industry who would have never thought of it as a career. If you can inspire one person to join the industry who might not have necessarily chosen it otherwise, then that has to be a good thing. It’s very rewarding to see somebody who was potentially looking at getting into finance, instead thinking about becoming a quantity surveyor," he says.

"There are so many varied roles in construction that I don’t think we, as an industry, promote ourselves as well as we could. But it's great that associations like CABE are promoting and using volunteers like me to get the word out that construction isn’t just muddy boots any more.

“It has certainly been a great industry to me. There are a lot of amazing people who are willing to give new people a chance, who are willing to impart their wisdom, and who are willing mentor other people. I wouldn’t have got where I am today without any of that. So, whether it is creating events for students to attend, whether it’s work experience, or whether it’s mentoring someone, it’s important to me to give that service back to others."