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Hi I´m Mark Glendinning and I have a PhD in Civil Engineering and graduated in 2008.
Who do you work for?
I work for Parsons Brinckerhoff as an Assistant Structural and Geotechnical Engineer. The firm provides strategic consulting, planning, engineering, and program and construction management services to both public and private sector clients.
What it is you actually do?
I work on a number of structural and geotechnical projects both locally and nationally in the UK as well as the occasional international project. I am part of a team which designs and assesses a variety of types of structures including road, rail and pedestrian bridges to foundations, retaining walls and piling. Pretty much anything that resembles a structure either above or below the ground would cover the type of work that I am involved with.
Why did you decided to go into infrastructure?
I decided to go into the infrastructure sector as I was fortunate to have experience in that sector as part of two summer placements with PB. Having enjoyed the work during the summer placements I decided that the opportunities and type of work offered would be exciting and challenging.
What do you like most about you do?
The best thing about what I do is the varied nature of the work that I have undertaken. In the time that I have been with PB the work that I have been given is very rarely the same and continues to be varied and interesting.
Are there any downsides to your job?
There are not many downsides which spring to mind but if pushed to name one that would be the occasional long hours that you are sometimes faced with but you have to take the ups with the downs in this industry.
What do you think are the most important skills/strengths you need to make a success of what you did?
As an engineer the best skill I took away from university is the ability to problem solve. Civil engineering is all about solving problems and being able to approach a problem and find a solution on your own is extremely rewarding.
What would be your best piece of advice for graduates wishing to come into this sector?
There is always a need for infrastructure and because of the many different flavours that it comes in you will always be faced with varied and challenging structures to keep pushing and developing your skills.
Would you undertake further training to further your career?
Yes I would. Training is an important part of your professional development and you need to have the skills and expertise to allow you to keep progressing.
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Hi I´m Anneke Kellond. I studied MEng civil engineering with a modern language (Spanish) at Sheffield University and completed my degree in July 2008. I decided to study engineering as a mature student because I believed that it would be a challenge and that engineers can help improve all aspects of our world.
Who do you work for?
I work for Mott MacDonald who is an employee-owned management, engineering and development consultancy as a graduate civil engineer.
What it is you actually do?
I work in the water sector of buildings and infrastructure division. I am currently working on minewater remediation schemes for the Coal Authority, where I am involved with the design of schemes that treat polluting water emanating from redundant coal mines. I am also involved in modeling drainage systems that attenuate surface water runoff in order to help prevent future flooding issues on new developments.
Why did you decided to go into water sector?
I decided to go into the water sector because it was the area that I enjoyed most at university. It is an area of ever growing potential as current generations will have to be able to deal with extreme weather scenarios such as flooding and drought and be able to achieve this through improvement of current and building future infrastructure.
I enjoy the fact that I am able to be involved in projects that are sustainable that aim to improve the environment and water quality in the UK.
What do you like most about you do?
I enjoy the fact that no two jobs are the same and no two days at work are the same. The possibility of being on site one day and the next researching a topic of which I have no knowledge on.
There is for example a project that I worked on recently had glow- worms on site and an environmental assessment was carried out to establish their preferred habitat. I certainly didn´t think that I would be involved in understanding where glow-worms prefer to habit whilst I was studying at university!
Are there any downsides to your job?
Possibly the downside at the moment is the fact that it is becoming more difficult to be involved in large projects due to the fact that these have been reduced due to the `credit crunch´.
Although having said that I believe that in the near future there will be major infrastructure spending that will open up good opportunities.
What do you think are the most important skills/strengths you need to make a success of what you did?
I believe that effective communication is the key in all areas of the industry. Good management systems aided with communications in office based environments. Although on site it is essential to be able to have verbal communication skills and be able to relate to other people. I think this will make you successful.
I also believe that you get out what you put in; in life and that being involved in the industry outside of work is very important. I am an ICE Ambassadors in South Yorkshire and have recently joined the ICE graduate and student committee as university liaison representative and a graduate network representative for the national graduate and student committee.
I believe that being involved helps me progress in my career and inspire others to join the industry as well. I also believe that a good work-life balance is very important. I really enjoy my outside interests such as rock climbing and badminton.
What would be your best piece of advice for graduates wishing to come into this sector?
I think that because the degree is so broad you can decide exactly which area you like as you progress. You can even change paths once at work because a lot of employers will let you rotate through various disciplines and you may find you prefer another discipline to that which you originally chose.
Take advantage of ICE events and competitions such as the student and graduate paper competition. I entered when I was encouraged to do so by my supervisor and I didn´t really think I would be able to get to the final. However I did and came third in the national final and I am very proud of my achievement. These competitions/events are worthwhile entering to be able to personally develop and hone skills such as communication skills which are essential for a career in engineering.
Would you undertake further training to further your career?
Certainly, one of the areas that I am intrigued by is law. Law would probably have been my second choice of degree. I am going to attend a CPD course on law and contract procedure which covers the syllabus set out by the ICE for the legal examinations curriculum. I hope that this will improve my understanding of the legal intricacies surround engineering contracts.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Civil engineering is such a broad field that if you choose to enter the profession I think that you will have a very wide choice of career and you will be able to have a direct impact on people´s lives.
In the current climate it is even more essential to broaden your CV and make the most of opportunities presented to you. Thinking outside the box is very important and this can be demonstrated by activities outside work as well as in work.
Working as an ambassador in schools is very rewarding because you can help explain what exactly civil engineering is and hopefully raise awareness in younger students. I have had many cases where students didn´t know what civil engineers do but were very enthused to enter the profession after speaking to an ambassador.
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Hi my name is Joshua Macabuag. I graduated from Oxford in 2007 with a MEng in Engineering Science. I now work for Edge Structures in London as a graduate and structural engineer.
What it is you actually do?
Being a graduate structural engineer primarily involves designing and analyzing structural components and communicating that design through discussion, drawings, specifications and computer models.
Working for a small company means that I am encouraged to take ownership of a project and get fully involved in the design process of a complete job from the outset. This includes communicating with architects, clients, contractors etc to develop the design to make efficient use of funds, materials and the construction process to meet the needs of each party involved.
Which sector did you decide to go into and why?
I work in structural consultancy. Civil and structural engineering touches so many aspects of people´s lives, from the grand, iconic structures like “the Gherkin” or Wembley Stadium to the most fundamental needs that underpin society through basic infrastructure and shelter.
Put simply, I was attracted to civil and structural engineering because it allows you to develop real and physical projects; something tangible that is built and lets you feel that you are making a real and meaningful contribution to people´s lives.
What do you like most about you do?
That every day I am working on physical, tangible projects that will become people´s places of work, study or their homes. Consultancy really brings to life everything I had learnt at university and I appreciate that I am learning real skills that can have a direct impact on people´s lives.
What do you think are the most important skills/strengths you need to make a success of what you did?
A practical and analytical mind; the persistence to work through problems that you do not initially know how to solve; and good communication skills in liaising with clients, architects, contractors and other members of your team.
What would be your best piece of advice for graduates wishing to come into this sector?
Experience of real projects is irreplaceable. As difficult as it may be to find during the current economic climate, early work experience is very important for beginning to bridge the gap between theory and practice, something which can be very difficult and at times frustrating immediately after leaving university. And never forget that continual learning is forever part of the job so always continue to look for new and interesting experiences in your job.
Would you undertake further training to further your career?
Absolutely! Engineering is an ever-changing field and continued professional development is one of the most motivating aspects of the job. London especially is a perfect place to find frequent and often free evening lectures, workshops and events for continued learning and an opportunity to meet other like-minded people.
I am currently actively training in aspects of international development through the ICE and charities such as Engineers Without Borders-UK by spending time overseas in places such as Nepal, South Africa and Peru.
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Hi, I´m Cherrie. I studied Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering at the University of Southampton as part of a two-year master course offered at York University in Toronto, Canada. Prior to that, I did my undergraduate studies in Environmental Science and Mathematics at the University of Toronto.
What were you hoping to achieve with your university course?
I decided to move to the UK to learn and understand the different factors that influence how designers and contractors approach sustainable development, whether this be climatic, cultural, political or economic.
Who do you work for?
I work as a design engineer for Ramboll UK which provides expertise in all areas of building engineering, infrastructure, geotechnics, transport and urban planning, environmental services, renewable energy installation design and oil & gas infrastructure.
What it is you actually do?
I manage a small team of graduates and technicians working on small to medium sized projects, where I am responsible for managing the fees and delivering the agreed output. I liaise with the design team/contractors and development control officers on a regular basis and attend meetings as necessary. I am also often involved in the preparation of proposals and presentation to clients.
Which sector did you decided to go into and please state your reason.
I joined the Transport sector as it directly relates to my degree. However, as part of my ICE training, I have also worked with the infrastructure team to gain experience in drainage and highway design.
Would you undertake further training to further your career?
I am always keen on learning new things on and off the job. Under the ICE training scheme, I feel that there is structure to my training as my mentors are required to ensure that I get a varied experience in engineering.
What do you like the most about you do?
I like the fact that I am making a positive difference in how people live and how our natural resources are managed. I consider this to be a rewarding experience.
Are there any downsides to your job?
The downside to this job is that there are times when we have to work late hours. However, the feeling of achieving what you have set out to do is quite satisfying.
What do you think are the most important skills/strengths you need to make a success of what you did?
It is important to stay motivated in whatever you do. I find that it helps when I think about why I went into the profession – which is to make a positive difference in the world we live in.
What would be your best piece of advice for graduates wishing to come into this sector?
I would advise graduates to gain experience in other areas of engineering to understand the bigger picture, whether this is through work placements/secondments or through self-learning.
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