Student Engineer - Catchment Modelling and Strategy Review

My role is project work orientated. I am often resourced on several projects at once and must manage and prioritise different projects throughout the week. Given the project based nature of the role, I do not have any daily tasks because as the projects progress, the tasks change. The projects I have worked on can be divided roughly into two. The first set of projects have involved authoring and collating data to complete Flood Risk Assessment reports. The second set of projects are sit within hydraulic modelling.

I was given a fair amount of responsibility during my placement. Most of the time, I would have a project explained to me then it would be up to me to begin and work through the project. There was always someone else on the project who I could ask for help or oversight from but it seldom felt like they were interfering unnecessarily. I really enjoyed the independence and responsibility, and appreciated the support when I asked for it. Because of this, it never really felt like I was just a placement student.

I have learned a lot of skills throughout my placement. Most notably, I have become competent in several GIS software which I formally had no knowledge of, namely QGIS and Flood Modeller. These skills are highly transferrable across the industry. I have also developed my interpersonal skills such as communication and teamwork. I have also increased my confidence and composure in professional settings.

In the early stages there was, naturally, more support and guidance, which came from my whole team and was incredibly helpful in allowing me to settle in and learn the ropes. As my placement progressed, the general support and guidance dropped off to allow me independence and responsibility. However, whenever it came to learning a new thing, there was support and guidance readily available.

The company culture at Arcadis is fantastic. I felt the people I worked with cared about the company aim: Improving quality of life. I really enjoyed being in the office environment and found the office I worked in to be welcoming, friendly and social. I was involved in two Affinity Groups (Pride and Ethnicity & Heritage), which connect members and allies of these groups across the global business. This was something I found really positive as it ensured everyone had a community of support.

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement. While there were individual days where the work was frustrating or boring, the overall feeling from my placement was enjoyment. I think this was largely down to the people in the office, but in particular my team within the office. I also found the work enjoyable, particularly when it involved learning something new as this was always exciting.

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