Experience Review

It was fantastic! The extensive building sights at the heart of London were amazing to behold, and the opportunity to be taken from the first step to the last, from bidding for construction contracts to finalising the building sights, was an opportunity I will not forget anytime soon. The staff were lovely and you are treated as one of the team.

I absolutely felt like one of the team, especially because the workforce is so diverse in terms of age, meaning that there are people working there that were in my shoes not all that long ago. As they don't treat younger staff as children, they apply that same attitude to your on your placement, and that makes you feel exceptionally valued.

Plenty of support was given throughout the entire placement. There was not a single task I was asked to undertake without it first being explained to me how I was to do it and where to go should I have needed help. What's more, because you are treated as one of the team, there is no arrogance or snobbiness if you do ask for help, as everyone is happy to.

The skills I learnt, whilst not directly applicable to my areas of study, did give me insight into the working environment and working atmosphere. It demystified the process of working in an office and gave me the skills to work in a team without necessarily being in the same place - especially considering work is done across entire cities and many different teams of people contribute at every moment.

Whilst there was a general timetable that was kept to, occasionally there would be diversions and distractions, however, this would often be of benefit because it more accurately replicated the kind of working day most people working for McAlpine would experience. What's more, there was never a consistent end time for each day and so organising transport from London back home was tricky, but it really wasn't too much of a hassle!

There was a great sense of teamwork from the get-go, where the people working there take a great insight into seeing the company from your perspective. There was such great attention to detail throughout the entire placement, such as when explaining what work the company is looking to achieve in the future regarding climate targets and so forth.

Apart from paying for food and transport and briefing me through the safety procedures and regulations for building and construction, there was never any specific set of training undertaken - although this was less to do with a lack of care that it was a lack of need for such training, particularly given I opted for more administrative work.

This is, by far, where I learnt most from the experience. My expectations of a full-time role in a construction company were substantially different from the actual experience. It removed the negative assumptions I had concerning the attitude of people working in the industry, a point they were keen to get across, understandable given the stigma.

Brilliantly! It gave me an insight to just how much care and attention are given at every step of the construction process. From environmental regulation to safety requirements to modern slavery issues; I, personally, would never have considered such things when entering the placement, but coming out it changed my perception on how much care the company put it to their craft.

While it did not define my career path all that much, I never expected it to. It did, however, make working at a desk job in the private sector, especially in a large city like London, much more acceptable. Where before I had a starkly negative view of such a career, now I see how varied the kinds of work done can be.

They paid for my food and travel, which, short of a salary for having the privilege of such a wonderful placement (which would have been abusing their generosity), is all I could ever have asked for! What's more, the money for the package was provided at the start of the placement, not at the end, which, for someone from a low-income background, is something most placements don't take account for, unfortunately. McAlpine should be given all the more credit for doing so!

There was some chance, but the experience had so much content that only a short time was spent on each individual meeting. Most of the experience was spent with one person who leads the travel around London, and he was fantastic and knowledgeable, and so I have made the effort to keep in contact with him.

There were not all that many, only a few, and they were largely a quick affair. This was a weaker aspect of the placement as you are left to navigate the industry, as an outsider, on your own. However, I cannot expect to be handheld to each opportunity, and I imagine a conscious effort was made to replicate the real-world experience of networking.

Some activities, mainly through the company magazine as opposed to anyone informing me, though it was hardly relevant to the work placement so I appreciate why. Activities like a choir and holiday-related events dominated, but also the outside work that can be done for charities is admirable, especially considering just how many people seemed to take part.

Absolutely, it is a truly brilliant work placement, and I would recommend it immediately. The staff are kind and helpful, the culture is accommodating and accepting, the opportunities around London are of the kind I'll likely never experience again, and the reimbursement is generous and expansive. There is not a single student who could not gain something from this wonderful experience!