After school I learned a trade as a concrete worker and then studied structural engineering at the University of Siegen, specializing in construction engineering, a course which included a compulsory IT module. I then worked for several years as a programmer and systems analyst in the IT department of a well-known constuction company, before I went back to actually putting up buildings.


For several years I worked as construction manager and project leader on turnkey projects, supervising the building of large office blocks, industrial areas, and computing centres. I supervised all the various project stages, from initial planning to building handover.


I then worked for some years as Head of Facilities Management (Technical) in a large industrial company. My areas included the maintainance, repair and conversion of some 500 buildings (offices, production halls, warehouses), installing and looking after the technical equipment in the buildings, and the building and repair of the site infrastructure (roads etc.).


Now I run my own engineering office and work as an independent project and site supervisor for new buildings and for conversion and extension work, as a building advisor for both new and existing buildings, and as a part--time lecturer for several state educational establishments.


I also have an estate agent's office. I do valuations and I find tenants or buyers for attractive properties.