Wardle Academy Class of 2012 – Tom Lord
Tom Lord – Associate Director at Turley.
We are celebrating the wonderful achievements of Tom Lord, a former Wardle Academy student and current Associate Director at Turley, a national planning consultancy based in Manchester.
Growing and Thriving at Wardle Academy
Tom spoke fondly of his memories at Wardle Academy, highlighting the welcoming and supportive environment that allowed him to thrive as a student.
Wardle was a great place – it gave me a safe and supportive environment to learn, grow and make friends.
It was at Wardle that Tom gained a keen interest in Geography which sparked his desire to learn about the world and how it works. Tom particularly noted the support and guidance of his teachers, Mr Heslop and Mr James, who encouraged him to succeed.
A Geographer in the Making
After leaving Wardle Academy in 2012, Tom embarked on further study at Rochdale Sixth Form College where he took A-Levels in Geography, History, English Literature and Maths.
Tom’s love for Geography and the environment flourished during his time at college.
As part of his A-Level Geography course, Tom had the opportunity to work with Rochdale Council on the ‘Revealing the River Roch’ project.
The project worked to uncover the River Roch which had been hidden under Rochdale Town Centre for more than a hundred years. Tom’s involvement in the campaign led to a week of work experience at Rochdale Council where he shadowed the Planning and Development Management team.
This experience gave me my first insight into town planning and started an interest in the built environment.
A First Class Graduate
With Tom’s interest in building and planning firmly cemented, he continued his study of Geography further at the University of Liverpool where he achieved an excellent First Class Honours degree.
During this time, Tom completed further work experience with the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Working within a central government department exposed Tom to planning on a national scale with the opportunity to work at the very heart of government on planning policy.
This immersive experience inspired Tom’s final year dissertation which explored the approach city and municipal governments take to investing in decentralised energy generation infrastructure and policy.
Building his Knowledge at the University of Liverpool
Continuing his studies at the University of Liverpool, Tom then pursued a Master’s degree in Town and Regional Planning where he graduated with another First Class degree.
Whilst completing his Master’s degree, Tom attended a number of guest lectures from expert practitioners, including his now employer Turley.
Inspired by their talk, Tom applied for an internship with the company which he successfully secured and completed alongside his studies.
Turley offers expert advisory services across the built industry, combining a commitment to building sustainable environments with a passion for creating communities that thrive. With projects ranging from the Titanic Quarter in Belfast to the Liverpool Football Club Training Ground, the company spans a wide range of fascinating clients.
Cementing his Position at Turley
Tom’s experience as an intern at Turley allowed him to gain real-world exposure to planning and development with the opportunity to work on exciting projects across residential, logistics and sports sectors.
I was delighted when my internship transferred to a permanent position.
With a wealth of work experience and two First Class degrees, Tom was able to successfully secure a permanent position at Turley after completing his internship.
Planning for the Future
Seven years on from starting out at the company as an intern, Tom is now an Associate Director.
Throughout his career, he has worked across a number of high-profile projects, including the creation of thousands of new homes, the redevelopment of Fiddlers Ferry Power Station in Warrington and the expansion of Leicester City FC King Power Stadium.
Tom now hopes to support Turley’s mission to become a net zero business by 2050 through his work delivering renewable energy and decarbonisation infrastructure.
My focus is now on supporting the progression of Turley’s work in the net zero infrastructure sector.
Currently, he is working on the Scout Moor II Wind Farm in Rochdale, providing lead planning advice on the project.
Do you have an inspiring alumni story to share?
Thank you so much Tom for sharing your inspiring alumni story with us! We are so proud of your achievements and are so happy to see that you are truly flourishing in your career. We wish you the very best as you continue your career journey as part of our wonderful Watergrove Trust community.
Do you have an inspiring alumni story to share with us? Whether you have climbed the career ladder, traveled around the world or secured your dream apprenticeship, we would love to hear from you.
You can share your alumni story with us via the form here.
