Security Supervisor Marko Vukovic has been working at the heart of Brindleyplace since it opened 25 years ago. The 51 year old, from Sutton Coldfield, started work at Brindleyplace in 1995 and has watched the estate grow and develop over that time. But his enthusiasm for the job and his passion for people has never faltered, and neither has his positive outlook.
High profile estate
‘When I started working at Brindleyplace in the early 1990s, only the Water’s Edge was here,’ Marko says. He adds: ‘Then I watched the estate grow over the next decade as it turned into the development we know today and people started arriving in their droves – both visitors to places like the Sea Life Centre and to the restaurants along the canal and the workers in the offices. I have an engineering degree, but after working at Brindleyplace in the early days and enjoying the job so much, I decided to stay and make a career out of my role.’
‘With the banks and the professional services firms here it’s always been a very high profile estate with lots going on around the clock. On every shift we patrol and check the buildings to ensure they are safe and secure. We’re the first point of contact for the public while we’re out and about in the public areas and liaise with tenants and fulfil jobs for them when they need help.’
A place that never sleeps
‘Myself and the rest of the security team patrol Brindleyplace 24/7, 365 days a year. We all work 12 hour shifts when on site, so the service offered is not just comprehensive, but also consistent and we’ve built up very close working relationships with all of the occupiers over many years. Most of the team have worked here for a long time and we’re experienced at not just the job, but understand the site, its history, the area around it, our occupiers and their people.’
‘We never stop keeping both people and the buildings around them safe – that’s always our priority. The buildings require security even when we’re on lockdown, so our days remain busy. Normally, we’ll be on hand helping visitors find their way around one minute and dealing with questions from our multiple office occupiers the next. We’re always available for last minute tasks and jobs right round the clock. The place is like New York – it never sleeps.’
Team spirit
‘The impact of the events of this year have been felt in everything we do. From the footfall going down, then bouncing back over the summer and then going down again this autumn, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. But we’ve kept our focus on doing the best job we can and the team has been fantastic – they’re a committed, dedicated and loyal bunch.’
‘Morale during lockdown has been very high – we’re all proud to be looking after the estate, helping keep people safe and being recognised as key workers. We have a very tight team spirit here.’
Pride at work
‘We’ve actually had more to do this year, not less, so we’re always busy no matter what else is going on. We clapped for carers every Thursday throughout spring and summer and assisted with setting up the blue lights that projected onto Three Brindleyplace – we were all very proud to show our appreciation of the NHS at this crucial time.’
‘We work closely with the city centre police patrols who call by the estate as they do their rounds. We’ve rescued people from the canal, helped stop burglaries and are always ready to respond. Every day is different and that’s one of the best things about the job. But whatever the day throws at us, we feel ready and able to tackle it head on.’
