Julie
Assistant Engineer, Water
Having graduated from the Queen's University of Belfast with an MEng in Environmental & Civil Engineering, I went to the USA for a year where I obtained a Diploma in American Business Practice from Carroll College in Montana.
My first experience of Atkins was in 2004 when I joined the Water Distribution Networks team for a summer placement. I really enjoyed it - the appealing work and friendly, supportive environment - so I knew the firm would be top of my list when applying for graduate jobs.
The following year I joined the company full time as a Graduate Engineer. I started out in the Water Distribution Networks team again, which was really good. Working with the people I'd met the previous summer made the transition from university to working life that much easier.
After nine months in the Water Distribution Networks team I moved to the Rivers & Coastal Team for my second rotation. The variety on offer on the graduate programme is great: you get the chance to expand your knowledge across a range of specialisms to help you decide where you want to work in the future.
Most recently I've been updating an economic appraisal - re-doing assessments and re-pricing the solutions. I've been involved in site work, CAD and MapInfo mapping, report writing, calculations, even managing my own project. And because you can either work on a large project for extended periods or on several smaller ones at once, every day brings new and interesting challenges.
The most exciting project I've worked on is a flood study, which involves carrying out assessments for a town that recently flooded and working out how we can develop the area. It's particularly interesting because it's given me the chance to use skills I developed at university - seeing the practical side of a situation and coming up with solutions.
There are all sorts of reasons to recommend Atkins as a graduate employer. For one thing, there's a fantastically open, relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the office. Although there are deadlines to meet, it's still a really calm place to work.
The size of the company is another major benefit. Not only does it lead to massive projects in fields as diverse as aerospace to town planning, but it also opens up the possibility of secondments to other Atkins offices all over the world. The programme itself is excellent too, with extensive in-house and external training available. And while you're given responsibility early on, you're never alone - there's always someone on hand to give guidance and advice when you need it.