*In an occasional series, UK utility workers explain what they've learnt working abroad, and foreign-born staff say what they've learnt in the UK.*

Annabel Andrews talks to Spencer Gladwell, a deputy programme manager for engineering firm MWH who recently spent five years in the US, and Gwen Christini, an American senior civil engineer working in the UK, about what it's like switching sides of the pond.

*GOING STATESIDE...*

Spencer Gladwell. One of the main differences between the two countries is the type of contract agreements we work to. The US tend to take a more traditional approach, delivering schemes using a design, bid and build approach, with clear demarcation of responsibilities. In the UK, the client, designer and contractor are more of a partnership or team, working from a formative stage to joint goals, whereas in the US this partnership, especially with the contractor, is formed later into the project and, in some cases, past the time when the contractor's methods or experience can influence the design process.

On a personal basis, living in a large city within the Pacific North West with easy access to the wilderness areas and western Canada was a fantastic experience.

Initially I struggled with the very public sector and participative approach that predominates in the US. For the wastewater scheme we were dealing with 98 local, 15 state and 2 federal permits, plus the need to interact with 12 local and state agencies. But I do think we can learn from the way the public agencies seek both a local and regional consensus build to projects.

In the US the scale of projects was huge compared with many UK ones. The prime one I was working on was worth $1.3 billion and concerned the building of a completely new wastewater treatment plant. The UK water sector has very significant programmes but limited primary new builds. The engineer in me enjoyed the scale and challenge of the US projects.

Differences aside, engineers are engineers. They are essentially the same worldwide, especially in water and wastewater.

*Back in Britain...*

Gwen Christini. One of the good things about working in the UK is that the Ofwat review cycles here mean the utility companies plan, outsource, and complete projects within the five-year short timespan of the AMP [asset management plan].

In the US, the long-term costs and benefits of projects are considered at length and must be negotiated with regulators. Utilities are often run and funded by local authorities who must find their own sources of funding. These factors can add many years on top of the design time. If I go back to the US, I will take with me the knowledge of how to get projects started, designed, and completed in a faster timescale.

In America there are opportunities on a wider range of projects. The climate, geology, landscape, and population vary greatly, which result in differences in water and sewer systems. Due to larger population and city size, there are opportunities to work on bigger projects.

Ultimately, the aims of the industry are similar - cleaner water, improving the environment, providing long-term solutions, and good service to customers. However, there are differences in specific regulations. There was initially some time involved understanding the regulations in the UK. Although similar to the US, there are different motivating ­factors.

A big difference from the US is the privatisation of the UK water companies. This conglomeration of many small utility companies into fewer larger companies allows them to make decisions on a wider scale, utilise saving and share knowledge. There are parts of the US that could benefit from some regional or state-wide consistency or decision-­making ability.

When I moved to northeast England, the Geordie accent was a bit difficult to grasp. I really had to concentrate, but now I think I catch most of it.

Personally, you can't help being occasionally homesick for family and friends, especially on holidays that are big in the States but not here, such as Thanksgiving, Halloween or St Patrick's Day.