A Day in the Life of Andrew Berg
This month’s blog post is part of our A Day in the Life series. Each month we will introduce you to a new member of the DPM team and give you an inside look at a typical day for them!
For this month we interviewed Andrew Berg who is one of our Design Supervisors at DPM to shed light on what a typical day looks like for him.
Get to know Andrew!
- What is your role at DPM?
Design Supervisor. - How long have you been working at DPM?
Almost four years. - How did you get into your field of work?
I went to college to get to work with electric circuits, design and troubleshooting and I enjoyed the hands-on work in conjunction with the critical thinking and creativity.
Quaetions:
- Is there such thing as a typical day for you? If so what is it like?
Answer: During COVID my typical day has been focused on my home rather than the multitude of other places that I would normally frequent so I will start there. I wake up and get ready for the day like every other person. However, part of my morning routine is to take 10 minutes to watch the sun rise and be mindful of what my focal points will be that day. I also have made a morning espresso into a ritual – I got an espresso machine for Christmas and, boy, am I taking advantage of that.I spend most of my day balancing working at home and being with my three children. When I log off for the evening, I take another 10 minutes to watch the sun set and ground myself. I then cook dinner for my family and put on some music (I have a vinyl collection that grows stronger by the month!). I enjoy cooking and use this to unwind at the end of the day.I spend some time with my kids playing outside or watching a movie before they go to bed. I try to get some reading in about topics I am interested in such as film or nutrition. I also have a queue of videos that I watch for hobbies such as vinyl and movies, but I also take the time to watch lectures or podcasts on topics that add value to my life such as investing, nutrition or politics.During COVID I also sneak in games of virtual Catan with my friends after the kids are in bed! These virtual hangouts have been essential in a time when seeing friends and family has been made difficult. - What is something you enjoy most about your role?
Answer: Getting to work as part of a team and complete tasks that contribute to the communities we live in. After weeks or years of working on certain projects or tasks, once that final threshold is crossed and the project is nearing completion there is a satisfaction surrounding all the hard work and thought that went into delivering a project. A lot of the projects we work on are lighting projects that end up being used by countless people including ourselves! It is a lot of fun to design a space or advise on a development that becomes an integral part of Toronto. - What are some of the most challenging aspects of your role?
Answer: Acting as an intermediary between upper management and designers can be tough as there are two separate groups of individuals counting on you for different reasons. At the end of the day, everyone is focused on similar end goals at DPM and we drive each other to achieve those goals - What has been a career highlight for you?
Answer: Having the Finch West LRT hydro relocations and streetlight design approach the end of the design stage has been a significant aspect of my career. This project took me into the depths of P3 (Public-Private Partnership) transit work , added a lot of value to my knowledge and it is an incredibly rewarding project to work on. - When you’re not at the office what are you in doing in your spare time
Answer: I will be at home listening to music or watching a movie. When things start returning to normalcy, I will return to frequenting the restaurants and establishments in my community (Bloor West Village/Kingsway). I have my local spots I love to go to such as Henry the 8th, Kingsway theater and Azarias. You may also find me up in Parry Sound at the cottage on weekends with my family! The serenity and fresh air do us wonders. - Why choose DPM? What sets it apart from other companies?
Answer: DPM provides an environment that is flexible, accommodating, and transparent. There has never been a time when someone was not willing to hear me out or discuss a life goal or issue with me. The freedom that comes with working at a company that does not seek to control your work-home balance has meant so much to me and I can say that it is difficult to find that anywhere else. - What are some of your favourite projects to work on?Answer: I think it is a lot of fun to work on projects that contribute to the lives of people living in Toronto. Whether it be work on the ever-changing Yonge St corridor or a new light installation at a park downtown, I like knowing that people will use and benefit from the projects we work on.
- What is something that motivates you each day?
Answer: My family and I’s well-being.
A big thank you to Andrew for sharing a day in his life with us! Hopefully, you got to know Andrew and his role a little better. We are so happy to have him on our team.
