EARLY CAREERS
Sweco UK Graduate Scheme
Applications for our November 2025 intake of buildings, energy, water, transportation, environment and sustainability difference makers have now closed. Contact us below to register your general interest in Early Careers at Sweco.
I highly recommend the Sweco Graduate Scheme – if you’re eager to learn and grow, you’ll find exceptional support here. Sweco focuses on training you up quickly, with lots of opportunities for progression. Everyone is genuinely keen to help, making it a great place for continuous learning and skills development in the Early Careers Programme itself and beyond.
Lizzie Howling Graduate Scheme alumni and now Assistant Civil Engineer
Our Graduate Scheme offers a two-year blended learning experience, with a tailored programme delivered virtually and face-to-face. You’ll enjoy the opportunity to network and grow together with a close-knit 2025 cohort. Progression and personal growth will be supported by our Early Careers team, with a uniquely pastoral approach, as well as mentors and subject matter experts from across the business.
I believe Sweco’s Graduate Scheme is one of the best, fostering a culture that brings together future leaders while preserving and building on the ‘Sweco gene’. Beyond the invaluable learning from our top subject matter experts, what stands out to me most is the incredible networking opportunities – engaging with peers, exchanging ideas, and connecting with senior leadership.
Devanesh Gunasingam Graduate Scheme alumni and now Assistant Civil Engineer
Delivered through structured masterclasses – in three keys areas of Internal Insight, Skills Development and Subject Matter Expertise – our programme offers you the opportunity to accelerate your development, whilst pursuing your professional accreditation. The programme not only offers you a pathway to build confidence in your early career, but also gives you the platform to have a genuine impact in shaping the way we do things at Sweco.
Unlike many equivalent schemes, we recruit-to-role, so right from the moment you join us you will play a real-world part in real-world projects. You’ll be heard and empowered at every turn, and you’ll become a key #DifferenceMaker when it comes to transforming society together with our clients and partners by shaping the world around you in all sorts of ways.
From on-the-ground problem solving through technical excellence and digital innovation to bigger picture sustainability-championing and net-zero chasing…at Sweco, your legacy begins on Day One.
Difference-making at Sweco
We are future planners, city shapers, urban innovators, digital transformers, net zero chasers, community connectors, social enterprisers, lifestyle improvers and difference makers. Our 22,000+ global specialists – a team of over 1,000 teams – have the expertise, determination and responsibility to solve the challenges of today while shaping the opportunities of tomorrow.
Follow a defined career pathway, with purpose
The programme offers you a clear pathway to start and build your career at Sweco, with a solid foundation from the start. It’s not just your first job, it’s a structured journey that will shape the future – yours and ours!
Benefit from holistic, personalised support
Graduates will benefit from personal pastoral support throughout the programme, with face-to-face events and virtual check-ins to ensure you are guided, heard, and empowered to not just grow professionally but also personally.
Build close links to leadership from the outset
There are regular opportunities to engage directly with our Leadership Team, not just at the launch and passporting events, but through quality interactions after each development event.
Enjoy the right balance of skills development
Our programme goes beyond the day-to-day technical role, we develop those crucial soft skills that enable our graduates to become well-rounded consultants; with the focus on aligning their interpersonal abilities with their technical expertise to shape their future as consultants.
Have an immediate impact on real projects, with real clients
We recruit to role, so from day one, graduates will be involved in real-life projects that directly impact our clients. This accelerates their learning, while allowing them to contribute meaningfully to our Sweco Client Promise – to be the most approachable and committed partner with recognised expertise – right from the start.
Become a genuine #DifferenceMaker
We’re transforming society together in everything we do, from playing a central role in sustainable projects that drive the green transition to promoting equality, diversity and positive social impact.
Sweco and the green transition
The green transition – a joined-up evolution from linear, carbon-dependent practices to circular, resource-efficient alternatives – is critical if society as a whole is to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity, and unlock a sustainable future for all. At Sweco, we aim to be a role model in the green transition, taking responsibility for and being part of the solution to society’s sustainability and carbon reduction challenges.
Entry requirements
- A degree in a subject relevant to the role you’re applying for
- You’ll be completing a degree course with a clear route to professional accreditation
- Less than 12 months relevant work experience (excluding placements)
- Strong numeracy and literacy skills
- Confidence in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint).
- Entry degrees will be listed within each of our graduate vacancies and differ from role to role
- Can work in the UK with no restrictions. We are unable to accept candidates who require sponsorship or are on graduate visas
Progression
- Programme launch – meet the leadership team
- Start connecting with your cohort
- Attend face-to-face development events
- Kickstart your journey to Professional Accreditation
- Work on real-life, real client projects
- Explore STEM Ambassador opportunities
- Workshops delivered by Subject Matter Experts
- Develop Project Management skills and insight into commercial finance
- Connect and collaborate as you present your journey
- Progress into your chosen career pathway
Benefits & rewards
- A permanent contract from day one
- Competitive salary, bonus & pension
- Company mobile phone & laptop
- Employee discount via Sweco Benefit Select (Faircare)
- 25 days paid holiday plus Bank Holidays (and option to buy up to 5 more)
- Employee Assistance Programme – wellbeing, mental, financial, and work advice
- 2 x Professional Membership Subscriptions
- Life Assurance
- Cycle2Work scheme
- FlexWorks (our flexible ‘hybrid’ working scheme)
How some of our graduates have made an immediate impact at Sweco
“As a highways engineer, I was hired specifically to work on the Aberdeen South Harbour Link Road (ASHLR) project. This involves the optioneering, assessment, and detailed design of a roughly 4km road in Aberdeen that links the industrial estate, which was designated as the Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), to the South Harbour of Aberdeen at the Bay of Nigg. I started working at Sweco at the same time that the project was beginning to mobilise, and I was able to work across all aspects of project management early on before then getting involved in the road alignment design.”
Faris Zakieh, Assistant Engineer
“My work on the Liverpool Clean Air Plan involved looking at the environmental equity in air quality across the city, with the aim to remove areas of poor air quality by modelling the potential impact of different traffic management schemes. This project was extremely rewarding as it has a positive social (human health) impact and challenging as it uses very large datasets and complex modelling.”
Matthew Bradnam, Air Quality Consultant
“Towie Wind Farm gave me my ‘big break’ as a project manager. It was very useful to get a deeper understanding of Sweco’s internal operations, from invoices to forming bids, and the effort that goes into them. It was also interesting to talk with our client, solving their problems and build a relationship with him, to make sure the project ran smoothy. I greatly appreciated this trust, it boosted my confidence talking with clients, and it has opened my eyes to another important part of the business.”
Matthew Payne, Assistant Structural Engineer
“For Batch 22 – a collection of five sites in total – I work closely with Severn Trent Water and Kier. The project driver is to meet the obligations of the WFD in AMP7, to reduce the phosphorus permit to 0.6mg/l. This is typically though tertiary treatment systems such as a Hydrok TSR Unit, or Evoqua CoMag system. I have played a large role (one of two mechanical engineers on the project) and have developed many technical specifications and PID diagrams, as well as commented on and helped design numerous GAs. This has been ongoing since Q3 2023, and so is a massive undertaking.”
Cameron Rhodes-Williams, Assistant Engineer
“The Kilmarnock Green Infinity Loop project aims to create four active travel routes in the town of Kilmarnock, Scotland. I was involved in the transport modelling, and assisted in the creation of a microsimulation model for the area that took around nine months to complete and has since been used in KGIL and a separate project at Sturrock Street. This project was particularly memorable for me as I was able to have be heavily involved in the testing of the active travel scheme, as well as creating a comprehensive model that can be used for years to come.”
Kerr Milne, Transport Planner
“A12 Diversions: Highways England are upgrading the A12 between Chelmsford and Colchester and Sweco were approached by Anglian Water to divert or protect all water and wastewater assets which would be affected. This was my main project for my first two years working here, and I learned a lot of new skills such as AutoCAD and Civil3D, as well as upskilling myself regarding water engineering.”
Beth Gorman, Assistant Civil Engineer
I’m proud to have been empowered by our Sweco Leadership Team to create an impactful Early Careers programme that sets our #DifferenceMakers up for success. Working with passionate early careers talent, keeping their wellbeing front and centre, we focus on the essential interpersonal skills to grow our talent technically and holistically. This programme doesn’t just reflect what we do at Sweco, but why we do it. The enthusiasm and fresh ideas drive me, daily, to add lasting value to our business. To shape not just today, but tomorrow too.
Rav Kaur Sweco UK Early Careers Lead