Graduate Highways Engineer
Jordan Bamber
Joined Sweco:
16/09/2019
Team:
Manchester Highways team
Studied:
Masters in Civil Engineering at the University of Manchester
My advice to applicants is don’t be afraid to get your name out there. Ask the right questions during the interview process; what is important to you.
Currently working on:
I am currently working on the optioneering and preliminary design phase of the A641 between Bradford and Huddersfield; involving a range of highway improvements to reduce congestion, and improvements for pedestrians and cyclists in the town centre of Brighouse. I am also lending a hand in the detailed design signage package on the M25 J28 project, which is located east of London. This project has enabled me to work with consultants in other Sweco offices.
Why I chose Sweco:
I chose to join Sweco because of their emphasis on chartership with professional bodies; they thoroughly believe in investing in people and striving to do our best. The decentralised Sweco model puts greater control of projects in the hands of teams. Working closer to clients means the effects of the hard work we do on our projects can be seen more clearly through feedback, indicating that we are really making a difference.
What I enjoy most about my work:
I enjoy working and collaborating with a range of colleagues over differing roles and seniority from all over Sweco on small scale to large scale projects. Everyday feels different and I continuously learn new skills and abilities which will help shape me into the engineer I hope to become. My team pushes me to take on new tasks and problems, and are able to work with me to find and fill gaps in my knowledge.
Highlight of the Graduate Development Programme:
My highlight of the graduate scheme so far has been the ability to network with other graduates within Sweco from many different disciples of engineering. Being able to communicate with people in the same boat as me from the start of my career has been invaluable, allowing me to gain confidence and improve my ability to work as a team. The graduate programme also excels at exposure to skills that I wouldn’t otherwise come into contact with. We recently received hands-on experience with Sweco’s Project Management Framework, which provided insight of the aspects of managing a project using a dummy project.
Advice to applicants:
My advice to applicants is don’t be afraid to get your name out there. Ask the right questions during the interview process; what is important to you. If working close to clients, and having the exposure to many aspects of engineering as well as support through the duration of your road to chartership, then Sweco may be the right fit. From my time at Sweco, it is apparent that Sweco is for the people and I feel as though I am a genuine part of the company and make a difference.