Vacation Student Review

There is massive variety day to day. I have taken part in desktop studies, specification writing, researching potential solutions to problems, backdrafting and admin tasks. Each of these is well explained prior and people are very willing to help. Early on in the placement I jumped between quite a few projects, allowing me to see many different applications of civil engineering but I later settled into one project for about a month allowing a much deeper understanding to be gained. I was also very fortunate to be able to attend two site visits during my placement, one was observing drainage surveying and the other was a look round a sewage treatment plant that was under construction.

I have become much more competent with use of Autodesk products, primarily AutoCAD and Civil 3D as well as with the use of excel. I have also developed my ability to communicate both within the team and externally. My confidence also massively improved both in myself and my abilities, as the further through I got the more the 'imposter syndrome' wore off and I began to realise that I am able to make a real and significant impact on projects.

From very early on I was given tasks to carry out that were being submitted to clients. These started out as very basic tasks that were closely monitored but as I progressed they grew in value and this monitoring decreased. By the end of my placement I was effectively treated as just another member of the team rather than a placement student, trusted to complete work to a high standard and able to bring real value to the project.

There was plenty of support throughout the duration of my placement. Early on, everything was very carefully explained but as I developed confidence I was trusted to carry out these processes without explanation. However, there was never a point that a question I had would not be answered and every member of the team will go above and beyond to help wherever they can.

There is a big push for 'One Arup' - this idea that everyone within the company is one team who can all add value to each other and this concept is very much felt. The project that I spent most of my time on consisted of engineers from three or four offices across the country all of whom act as one cohesive unit. Everyone is also very friendly and from the very start do everything they can to help make you feel welcome and included.

I really enjoyed my time at Arup. Not only did I enjoy my work every day I also felt that I had really become a part of the team. Prior to the placement I knew I had an interest in Civil Engineering but was not sure what a career in the sector would hold. This placement showed me what life as an engineer would look like and it has motivated me even further to power through my degree and do the best that I can so that I have the opportunity to succeed in the industry once graduating.

Yes

Although the application process may seem long and tedious, the pay off when you eventually get the role is definitely worth it. I started my application in November 2023 and didn't receive an offer until April 2024 due to the number of application stages and the time taken between each one but the end reward is well worth the time invested.