Geotechnical Engineering Scholarship Review

I was offered a six week long geotechnical scholarship with Atkins. I have very much enjoyed the whole experience. I would recommend all civil engineering or geology students to apply for this scholarship as it is a great opportunity to experience working in the industry and gain practical skills. All my colleagues were very helpful and friendly and made me feel welcome and valued.

I felt my colleagues tried to give me as much work as possible, in as many different projects as possible, so I could gain insight into the different types of work the company does. They tried to give me tasks that were challenging but not too difficult for my level of knowledge. They also included me in activities outside of work and were very friendly and approachable.

For all the different projects that I have worked on, I was given a supervisor who would give me tasks and guide me on how to complete them successfully. I found all my co-workers to be very helpful and provide me with all the necessary resources and support in order for me to do well and enjoy my time in the company.

During the first week of my internship I was busy mostly with induction and training programs which comprised mostly of online training courses. The next few weeks were relatively busy as I was given work in many projects ranging from infrastructure to renewable energy and dams. In the week before last I also joined some colleagues on a site walkover. In my last week I did not have much work but I had the chance to read some interesting books.

I was given enough responsibility for a summer student however I thought some of the tasks I was given were too simple. Later on the work I performed became more complex, and it was checked by a colleague at every step. However I felt that they trusted that my work was correct.

By working in the industry in a top company I have improved my skills and developed new ones which I strongly believe will help me in my career. I have also developed practical knowledge and a better understanding of the geotechnical engineering industry and became more passionate about this field.

The atmosphere was nice and relaxed, people got along very well together and worked as a team, everyone I met was very friendly and helpful. We often had lunch together and my colleagues made me feel welcome. All the staff were also hard working and focused on their work. The were approachable and offered me plenty of support and opportunities to learn more about the company and industry. I felt comfortable and enjoyed my time in the office.

Overall well organised, however the first and last weeks were quite slow and boring as I didn't have any work to do. But this is understandable and my manager and other colleagues were always trying to keep me busy by finding different tasks for me. When there was no work for me, I was given books and different materials to read and familiarise myself with the company's work and structure, and also improve my knowledge of geotechnical engineering.

During my internship I have learned a lot about the company and became very interested in joining them as a graduate. I think working with Atkins is an excellent start for a young civil engineer as they provide the employees with a lot of support, benefits and opportunities and plenty of interesting projects to work on. I will definitely apply for a graduate position and would recommend it to all engineering students.

My internship was in the Ground, Water and Environment division in the Glasgow office. Glasgow is a relatively cheap place to live compared to the rest of the UK. Rent is about 400-600 ppm, socialising is quite cheap as well. The office is in the city centre next to the river in a very nice area and overall a very good and cheap location, affordable to students. The pay was also good.

My team organised quite a lot of events such as: lunches, bowling night, pub quiz, climbing a hill for charity. We would also have lunch together in the office most days and got to know my co-workers better. My colleagues invited me to all the events and I took part in most of them. People were very friendly outside of work as well, and we had lots of fun. They made me feel part of team and included me in all the activities.