Ellie Walton
Engineer at Arup and chair of the ICE West Midlands Early Careers Network Committee
Expertise
DesignLocation
West MidlandsMy highlights
Achieving a first-class MEng civil engineering degree
Working on a range of major multidisciplinary rail projects
Being involved in the ICE Early Careers Network and meeting different people across the industry
A day in my life
My days are usually a mix of engineering, problem-solving and plenty of conversations with people.
I work on rail infrastructure projects, so one minute I might be supporting design development, coordinating a project team or tracking programme and project deliverables, and the next I'm in a meeting with clients, contractors or colleagues from different disciplines figuring out the best way forward.
What I enjoy most is the variety. No two days are ever the same, and there's always something new to learn.
Alongside my project work, I'm also involved in Arup's Global Rail Skills Network, which gives me the chance to connect with rail professionals from around the world and help share knowledge across the business.
What inspired you to become a civil engineer?
During my GCSEs at school, I fell in love with maths, and I’d always loved design technology (DT).
My DT teacher at the time encouraged me to apply for the Arkwright Scholarship. I really enjoyed the creative and problem-solving side to the application and assessment which made me think about engineering as a career choice.
I knew I wanted to be a part of an industry that shapes the built environment given the important role it plays in our everyday lives.
From there I decided civil engineering was the route I wanted to go down and to work in an industry that's consistently trying to improve the world we live in.
We asked Ellie…
I would recommend a career in civil or infrastructure engineering because…
There's so much you can do!
Civil engineering covers a huge variety of specialisms, including geotechnical, structural, transport, buildings, energy and water. The list goes on!
Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also …
A sportswoman! In my spare time, I enjoy all different types of sports including running, netball, gym, pilates, sailing, swimming and snowboarding.
What does being professionally qualified with the ICE mean for your career?
I'm working towards my chartership to help with my career progression into more senior roles in the future.
I also find it a great way to see what areas I'm potentially overlooking during these earlier years in my career, which will help me become a well-rounded engineer.
I'm using the process as a way to find more opportunities in areas I may otherwise have not put myself in.
How has being a member helped your career?
The roles I've had so far within the ICE have given me so many networking and event organising opportunities. This has grown my confidence in speaking to people and sharing ideas, as well as learning about what is going on elsewhere within the industry.
Ellie's career path in brief
My career journey started with A-levels in maths, physics and chemistry.
I followed this with an MEng degree with a year in industry before joining Arup as a graduate engineer.
I'm now working towards my chartership.
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