Assistant Designer Review
at Arup
Degree Apprenticeship
Transport Planning, Civil Engineering, Construction
Bristol
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
4 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.6/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I provide primarily graphical and CAD support to a variety of Transport Planning and Urban Design projects.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I enjoy my programme a lot, though it is very stressful at times, juggling project work and assignments.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I've learnt to use several software packages, including AutoCAD, Microstation, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, Miro, ArcGIS Pro.
I've developed my time management skills, as well as soft skills such as negotiation and public speaking.
I've developed my design skills, both in Urban Design and Graphic Design.
I've developed my time management skills, as well as soft skills such as negotiation and public speaking.
I've developed my design skills, both in Urban Design and Graphic Design.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
2/5
University is well structured, but my employer is not well informed on how apprenticeships work, so their approach can be inconsistent and I am left having to advocate for myself a lot.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
A lot of support, but I do have to advocate for myself a reasonable amount, and if I was less confident that might be more challenging.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
The support from uni has been great, though this year has been more challenging because the amount of extra time on assignments I get thanks to a reasonable adjustment has been cut in half. This disproportionally affects apprentices as we are working full time on top of studying.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
I feel much more well rounded in terms of knowledge and understanding, and I am more confident to contribute to projects at a higher level. I've also learnt software at uni that I have then used at work, which has increased my quality of output.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Yes, lots of social activities and sports teams. There are professional networking events, but my team doesn't promote that quite as much as other teams.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Arup to a friend?
Yes
Why?
There are some really great people working at Arup, and I get a lot of flexibility in my work. I feel I have control over my development, and I'm able to tailor my role to my interests.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Arup?
Being easy to get on with and work with is something that is looked for in applications. Once you get here, take advantage of all the resources available to you to help you develop.
