Water Management Consultant Review

I worked as an industrial placement water management consultant. My placement consisted of a range of tasks including water quality sampling site visits, data processing and analysis using QGIS, Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs), and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). I also branched into some work involving the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and the data centres that host the servers. I completed presentations about the environmental impacts of data centres and how we could use AI mindfully in the business and also ran a workshop about how to effectively use AI for auditing.

Yes. Initially I had limited responsibility and completed work assigned via my line manager but as I became more competent I was able to select work I was keen on being involved in and would be offered repeat work from various colleagues both in my office and others nationally and I was responsible for making sure I had enough work to do. The work I did on AI was entirely done off my own initiative following an interest I gained in a team meeting and it directed the majority of my work for the last 2 months of placement. My line manager had regular check ins with me to ensure I was comfortable with my workload and to let me know about various upcoming opportunities.

I learnt various new skills and developed lots of existing skills. The main skills that I developed during my placement were technical proficiency, communication and confidence in my own performance, allowing me to overcome individual barriers and complete work that I would previously be uncertain about.
Upon starting my placement, I had a foundational understanding of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) due to using it during a GIS module in my second year alongside a variety of other academic coursework. Although I had an understanding of how to navigate basic tools in GIS, including how to create high quality figures and gather information relating to ground elevation or proximity to specific receptors, I had limited experience in applying these skills to real-world projects. Similarly, I had a basic understanding of Microsoft Excel, with knowledge limited to what was required to complete University assignments. However, I can now proficiently use a variety of tools and handle multiple large data sets to complete required analysis and data presentation efficiently.
I was very apprehensive about presenting to large audiences before beginning my placement but after being given the opportunity to chair meetings, hold presentations and webinars, and run workshops, I became much more confident in presenting and have since offered to complete presentations for group work at University.

I received lots of support from my line managers and other colleagues. We had weekly team meetings and regular line manager check ins. I was also able to work with graduates in my office who had previously completed a placement year which was really useful to support guide my development and set expectations.

The workplace culture at AtkinsRéalis is underpinned by the company values of collaboration, innovation, integrity, excellence and safety.
The collaborative nature and the flexible working environment allowed me to complete work efficiently and to a high standard, adapting to both individual and collaborative working. There was a constant drive to achieve and exceed targets and further skills, learning from both successes and challenges to support future improvement and living the value of ‘excellence’.
I enjoyed the culture I was surrounded by because it motivated me to continue to produce work to a high standard and communicate methods that I found to improve efficiency and quality of work. The office environment allowed me to comfortably raise any queries and confidently discuss when I identified areas for improvement.
There was also various social and sporting events ran by the office which allowed for the development of more personal relationships and the opportunity to speak to other teams in the office who I wouldn't have naturally worked with.

I really enjoyed my placement and found it valuable to be personal, academic, and career progression. I loved the team I was surrounded by and always felt welcomed and supported. I look forward to hopefully returning as a graduate.

Yes