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Original poster

Work experience in civil engineering for an 18 year old

16 replies

RubyRedBoots · 02/10/2022 12:24

Hi,

My son has deferred a uni place, to study civil engineering, at Newcastle University until next September and has decided to take a gap year. His reasons for taking a gap year are to (a) get a part time job, (b) get some work experience in engineering (in particular civil engineering) and (c) spend a bit of time working in Canada next summer.

Great, in theory, and I can see why he wants to try before he buys with the civil engineering university course but he is struggling to get (a) a part time job (supermarket etc.) and (b) he is getting no reply from civil engineering companies about work experience.

He would like to try a week (or even a few weeks) in a couple of different engineering areas. He is interested in airport and stadium design.

Are there any civil engineers on here who could point me in the right direction? We have looked at the big company websites and they seem to promote gap year placements. The degree he has accepted is a sandwich degree so he will get a year out anyway but this is more a dip in the ocean to get a feel for it - he is still undecided.

He got AAA* in his A-levels recently.

OP posts:
DonNotKeith · 02/10/2022 12:27

My son's did site labouring. This really helped them post graduation.

Whiffle77 · 02/10/2022 12:31

Why doesn't he look at apprenticeships with any of the big construction companies? On the job experience and degree is funded - win win.

We take on an awful lot of grads and apprentices (I work for a v large construction company) but typically only facilitate 1-2 week work experience

AgentProvocateur · 02/10/2022 12:33

It’s difficult to get work in engineering design with no uni experience to back it up, but working with a contractor, on site, would stand him in good stead.

Dreikanter · 02/10/2022 12:51

Airport and stadium design is very niche. I did a good 15 years in civils and worked mostly on road schemes, residential and industrial projects and a lot of brownfield regeneration schemes.

Has your DS followed up his speculative letters with a phone call? Has he thought about asking if he can shadow different engineers for a day or two? Has he thought about volunteering with local charities doing building projects?

NotMeNoNo · 02/10/2022 13:01

The thing is it takes a while to train people up before they are useful. Even site labourers tend to be on apprenticeships now and they need their safety training. He might be better to write to local offices of consulting engineers (Arup, Jacobs, WSP etc as well as smaller companies) and say he's interested in a six months or so internship/technical assistant role to gain experience, explain the A levels and the uni place. He might end up doing data entry at first but it will all be exposure to the industry and if he's a quick learner he'll soon progress. If you live anywhere near a HS2 worksite try them too.

bogoblin · 02/10/2022 13:07

Look for local civil engineering projects (highways upgrades, flood defences, public transport initiatives etc) and approach them directly - companies like Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Colas, Kier etc. Companies have local liaisons who can help with this kind of thing.

Would also second the suggestion to consider an apprenticeship with a company like the above. Mine was fully funded to degree level and the experience you get on site just in your first year is invaluable compared to the time it takes to get site experience on a university course.

Design is more something you can get into once you have experience in my - well experience! You want companies like Mott Mcdonald and Arup for that.

greenacrylicpaint · 02/10/2022 13:13

yes to labouring on building sites.
that will give him great insight.

one of my dc volunteers with a neighbourhood accossiation that is looking at developments in the area and are giving input to public consultations regarding development.
dc finds it very interesting. it encompasses foi request, walks of thd area, studying plans, going to presentations, council planning meetings....

HedyPrism · 02/10/2022 13:16

I would contact the County Council highways team and see if they have an apprenticeship scheme.

JlL2013 · 02/10/2022 13:42

I'd get him to get his CSCS card then he can at least work on site labouring.

Some are reluctant to have really young people on site. I work for a geotechnical engineering company and we'd have young people in our lab as work experience but not necessarily on site.

Dreikanter · 02/10/2022 13:56

Soils lab work experience would be pretty useful for a civil engineer.

JlL2013 · 02/10/2022 14:34

@Dreikanter that is indeed true.

Original poster
RubyRedBoots · 02/10/2022 15:10

Whiffle77 · 02/10/2022 12:31

Why doesn't he look at apprenticeships with any of the big construction companies? On the job experience and degree is funded - win win.

We take on an awful lot of grads and apprentices (I work for a v large construction company) but typically only facilitate 1-2 week work experience

I think he is going to look at apprenticeships and, personally, I think this would be the best route for him due to on-the-job training and a fully paid for degree. I'm not sure about how he'd get one though if he has no experience in the first place. He tried during 6th form to get summer placements but Covid pit stop to that as nowhere was taking them.

If he was offered an apprenticeship between now and September he'd probably decline the uni offer tbh.

OP posts:
Original poster
RubyRedBoots · 02/10/2022 15:12

Dreikanter · 02/10/2022 12:51

Airport and stadium design is very niche. I did a good 15 years in civils and worked mostly on road schemes, residential and industrial projects and a lot of brownfield regeneration schemes.

Has your DS followed up his speculative letters with a phone call? Has he thought about asking if he can shadow different engineers for a day or two? Has he thought about volunteering with local charities doing building projects?

No, he hasn't made any phone calls - good point. And, good point about the charity work. I'll get him to look into it.

OP posts:
Original poster
RubyRedBoots · 02/10/2022 15:14

bogoblin · 02/10/2022 13:07

Look for local civil engineering projects (highways upgrades, flood defences, public transport initiatives etc) and approach them directly - companies like Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Colas, Kier etc. Companies have local liaisons who can help with this kind of thing.

Would also second the suggestion to consider an apprenticeship with a company like the above. Mine was fully funded to degree level and the experience you get on site just in your first year is invaluable compared to the time it takes to get site experience on a university course.

Design is more something you can get into once you have experience in my - well experience! You want companies like Mott Mcdonald and Arup for that.

Thank you - very useful!

OP posts:
Original poster
RubyRedBoots · 02/10/2022 15:15

Thanks all - we'll look into things!

OP posts:
Survey99 · 02/10/2022 15:45

When ds was interested in civil engineering he did some work experience with a construction company (mid covid so they had switched their experience to virtual) but it was still good and there was some basic exercises for them to do. He also did a week at a local concrete company (for the material side, and he saw different types/mixes of concrete, learned about precast concrete applications ), but both were organised by his school and their contacts at the local chamber of commerce after he went to them telling them what he wanted and suggesting companies that were members and could help him.

He also helped out volunteering at the local country park that was doing some work on retaining walls and steps.

After all that he changed his mind and went to Mech engineering instead 🤦🏻‍♀️

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