Graduate Review

My experience at Mace as a graduate has been great. Typically on the graduate scheme at Mace you do not have a rotation and stay in one team, however, the company is very supportive if you wish to explore other roles within the business. During my time I was able to have a year placement as a Project Manager at Heathrow in the Construct side of the business as well as a year placement as a Urban Designer in the Consult side. These experiences allowed me to build technical knowledge, leadership skills and a strong professional network. I’ve consistently felt supported and challenged to grow.

I’ve worked on urban design, masterplanning and advisory projects, as well as a year-long placement as a project manager at Heathrow. Responsibilities included stakeholder engagement, programme planning, design coordination, and client presentations. I most enjoy where I can use my creative/design skills to simplify technical information to help clients or stakeholders better visualise complex problems.

Within my role I've been able to lead design workshops, improve client presentations, mentor apprentices/work experience students, and support with future project bids. Being trusted with the responsibility to lead on these opportunities shows that your contributions are valued. I think working on projects in the construction industry feels meaningful itself as each project can have such an impact on communities, major infrastructure projects and cities.

The compensation package is competitive with 6monthly salary reviews for the first two years. It includes good benefits such as health insurance and annual health checks. For professional development, Mace has a central learning hub and business school which covers fees for a large range of training opportunities such as APM, NEC4, SMSTS qualifications. Mace also covers an annual fee for one chartership membership. If you are in the Construct side of the business and based on a live site, you will be eligible for travel expenses.

Very well - within my role I've been able to have exposure to multiple sectors, including Aviation, Local Government, Pharma, and Defense. I've completed technical training (NEC4 ECC, APM PFQ, SMSTS, CSCS) to support my competency in my role and to progress toward chartership. The graduate scheme gives you great leadership opportunities and exposure to network with senior leaders within the business.

I’ve received strong support throughout the scheme. You are assigned a buddy who is normally a colleague who has recently completed the graduate scheme - they are there for any advice/informal questions. I had weekly catch ups with my line manager for regular check-ins and clear development guidance. There is also a mentorship scheme where if you wish, you can be connected with a senior colleague to help with career advice. The emerging talent team are also easy to get in contact with for any questions or help needed regarding the grad scheme.

Work-life balance has been good. My teams and colleagues have always respected personal time and wellbeing. Sometimes you may need to be flexible if there is a critical deadline but this has been rare for me and I think its just important to set clear boundaries with yourself early on, e.g. don't check emails after work or on weekends as you'll get in the habit! As I'm based about 90mins from my office, I've personally preferred hybrid working - this allows me to come into the office a couple days a week to keep in touch with my team, but also allows me to maintain a healthy balance.

Mace’s culture is inclusive, collaborative and forward-thinking. There are initiatives such as the 'innovation fund' or 'ambition maker' which reward colleagues who have put forward innovative business cases or have stood out for particular efforts. Regional offices typically are more 'close-knit' compared to the central London office - mainly just as there are a lot of colleagues based at the London office so you may see less familiar faces. Overall though the atmosphere is positive and welcoming. There are also Employee Resource Groups such as 'Pride at Mace', 'Parents at Mace', 'Diverse at Mace' which are mini communities you can join which offer other support.

Mace has a formal EDI strategy which sets targets for inclusivity such as increasing women in senior leadership roles, increasing representation from underrepresented ethic groups, increasing representation of employees with disabilities and also LGBTQ+ employees. The 6 Employee Resource Groups (Ethnic Diversity, Enabled for disability, Pride for LGBTQ+, Women, Military, Parents) also are very active within the business to drive inclusion and awareness.

Yes

There are exceptional opportunities for growth and development, with clear routes to progression and support for professional qualifications. The graduate scheme provides exposure to diverse roles and sectors, helping you build a well-rounded skillset. It’s an exciting time to join as the company expands internationally, creating opportunities to work on innovative projects and shape the future of the built environment.

The role closely matched what I expected from the job description and details given through the recruitment process - I also had great opportunities to explore other roles within the business to determine where my skillset best fit.