Summer Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed working for Atkins, during my seven weeks there I was given the opportunity to work on high profile and interesting projects, whilst working across a number of different offices and sites and feeling valued as an employee. This was despite the relatively short duration of my placement and the inexperience I took into the role. I felt like I learnt a lot about the ground engineering department and have informed my career choice beyond graduation next year.

I felt like I was valued by my colleagues, working alongside a number of different people, such as other placement students, graduates and senior engineers. I was given significant responsibility and a sufficient workload which kept me busy and ensured I was making a real contribution to the company. I didn’t feel like I was a burden on other colleagues or that I was wasting their time.

All placement students are buddied with another Atkins employee from the start, which helps with settling into the role as quickly as possible, also they are on hand to offer support and guidance whenever needed. Atkins invests a lot of time and resources into its ground engineering academy to help develop both students and graduates of the profession.

I was kept busy with the main project I was working on, this required a lot of checking and reanalysis as conditions changed so I always had something to do. Atkins give placement students plenty of freedom to take care of their own time management and work priorities which gives a true reflection of the real working world.

I was given a substantial responsibility during my placement and worked on a significantly high profile project to deliver designs to set deadlines. This pressure was good and ensured I felt like I was making a real contribution and being challenged in the process. Despite this I didn’t feel like I was out of my depth and could always go to my fellow colleagues for support and guidance.

I learnt a lot more about the field of geotechnical engineering, particularly how a consultancy such as Atkins operates, the jobs they do and the opportunities they offer. I enhanced my knowledge of geotechnical engineering, in particular foundation design and the use of design codes, this will help significantly when going into my final year of university with my design projects and geotechnical work.

In the two offices I worked in the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, though generally people kept their head down and immersed themselves in their work, saving much of the socialising for the lunch hour or after work drinks. I found my colleagues were approachable if I was in need of any help.

My placement was very well organised, Atkins Ground Engineering department clearly devote a lot of time and effort into their scholarship programme, taking on a number of students each year for summer and year long placements. At the end of the placement scheme students are invited to present their work and experience of Atkins to some of the practice managers and colleagues. This was really good to see them taking an active interest in what I’d worked on and achieved whilst there.

I didn’t really have the chance to do any specific training or courses, most of what I learnt was picked up on the job. However this didn’t bother me much as I prefer to get stuck in and learn by doing. If I were there for a year instead of just the 7 weeks I’m sure I would have been given the opportunity to develop my engineering skills through more formal measures.

Atkins is clearly a place that many graduates want to work and thankfully I have been offered an interview for their graduate scheme following my successful placement. The graduate scheme with Atkins offers a lot of opportunity both in the scope of work on offer and your own professional development, with the aim of achieving chartership in the long-term.

Placement students and graduates would meet for lunch and after works drinks regularly, so there was a good sense of community.

I was living in London so it was obviously quite expensive, but thankfully placement students are paid adequately enough that it’s more than sufficient to live off and have some spare to enjoy. Also I was cycling to work so wasn’t paying anything for travel, which can be one of the biggest expenditures.

The nightlife in London is excellent and there’s always something going on and things to do. Out in Epsom there’s not so much, but it’s a pleasant town and there are some nice pubs, so I’d recommend living nearer to London if you’re after more things to do and see.

There was weekly football which I got involved in and other sports on offer such as hockey and rugby. After works drinks were held regularly on Fridays and other nights of the week depending on the occasion. Also the graduate scheme offers weekends away and field trips to get involved in.