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.

I am a structural engineer in the Industrial Division of SNC-Lavalin. My main responsibilities include liaising with clients, architects and fellow engineers to design the structural aspects of projects from office buildings through to industrial plants.

I recently transferred from our London, England office to our Exton, USA office. I get into work at 7:30 and leave around 4:30, this is definitely earlier than the standard work hours in the UK! The majority of my works involves solving engineering problems through the use of calculations and structural analysis software. I then use structural modelling software to create 3D models and drawings of my solutions which align with the other engineering disciplines and architect working on the same projects.

I enjoy the range of challenges I face and how I am learning new facets of engineering on each project. It is also a fantastic feeling to be able to apply knowledge learnt on previous projects to current projects.

Clients can be demanding and even though you will generally work normal hours, when the deadline is approaching and the client is changing their mind you may need to work longer to target your deadline. You also need to be prepared to be flexible about your ideas as projects will continuously change right up to construction!

I love solving challenges and being able to visualize my work, there is so much gratification in solving challenges and then seeing work you have drawn on paper being constructed in real life!

- Engineering degree
- Communication skills
- Creativity and imagination
- Maths

Graduate Structural Engineer - Atkins (Sept 2016 - Sept 2018)
Structural Engineer - SNC-Lavalin (Sept 2018 - Present)
*SNC-Lavalin acquired Atkins in 2017

At the moment I am working towards my professional qualifications both in the UK and the USA. For the next 5 years I plan to become technically excellent in my field of engineering before moving on towards business development.

Undertake summer placements every summer and don't be afraid to ask questions!