Graduate case studies
Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.
My first 10 years with AECOM were spent delivering and managing transportation projects in the UK, including walking, cycling, road and rail schemes. I was responsible for all aspects of the projects - including client engagement and managing AECOM staff.
In January 2017 I became the Operations Manager for AECOM's Buildings + Places business in the UK and Ireland, encompassing Architecture, Design, Planning + Economics, Building Engineering and Cost Consultancy. As part of the operations team, I am now responsible for nearly 1000 staff in over 20 offices.
A typical day would include visiting one of our UK offices to attend meetings or work alongside key individuals from the Buildings + Places leadership team. Activities would include preparing staff briefings, undertaking analysis of key performance indicators, reporting on business performance and supporting with the general running of the metro.
The people that I work with. We have a very experienced and interesting team in our office, and I also get the opportunity to work with colleagues across the UK and in our international offices. There is a good social element to my work too.
Having to very quickly pick up new areas of work. recently assisted a client with the implementation of Smartcard technology for use across a public transport network - something which was completely new to me at the time. Whilst challenging, I find this is the best way to learn new skills and gain experience.
It is very varied - I have worked on UK and European transportation projects, and now I am helping manage a completely different part of the AECOM business, working alongside Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Planners and Economists, amongst others.
The experience that I've gained in the last 10 years gives me a strong skills base upon which to build my career.
I rely on strong written and verbal communication skills when dealing with different clients and large project teams. Being able to communicate clearly and concisely is very important in my work, as well as being able to produce high quality outputs, particularly when they are public-facing.
As a graduate consultant I received technical traning in the use of transport software, as well as more general training for report writing, communication skills etc.
More recently, training is focussed on management skills, financial reporting and leadership.
10 years experience within AECOM, progressing from a Graduate Consultant to an Associate Director.
Chartered Member of the Institute of Transport and Logistics (2015).
I see myself continuing to gain a broad range of experience within AECOM, and encouraging more young people to join the industry.
Seek relevant work experience/training wherever possible. This will require some independent time and effort, but it really helps in terms of getting the all important interview and making a good impression with potential employers.
Last updated: 13 Mar 2017