Sarah Curran

"All three of the personality types (developer, investigator and quality controller) assigned to me after the quiz resonate well with my personality and job role.I regularly try to gain new skills and develop on existing ones to become a better engineer and provide design solutions to exceed the expectations of our Clients. About six months ago, I was involved with the detailed design stage of the upgrade of two pumping stations and the Client had requested a specific supplier to provide the access covers. Consequently, I liaised on numerous occasions via email and telephone with the supplier, providing requirements for the design, such as how many lids the existing designs had, the size of the clear opening and whether removable support beams were to be replaced or not. Using this information, myself and the supplier were able to confirm the designs for both of the pumping stations and I updated the detailed design drawings to show these. One of the access cover designs resulted in a cost reduction for the Client as we managed to reduce the number of access covers from six (proposed during outline design) to four thus making the project more economically sustainable.I always like to know what is going on so I am definitely an investigator. When I am out on principal inspections to assess the condition of structures such as bridges, I identify the causes of defects by looking at other elements of the structure. For example, I recently inspected a footbridge and there was cracking in the concrete around a joint. By analysing the joint, whilst doing a topside walkover, I identified that the sealant around the joint was debonded, causing water to seep into the concrete, thus causing cracking. I reported and sent my findings to the Client and suggested remedial works to repair the structure.I try to enforce quality control every day in my job as getting things right the first time is always the most economical solution in the long term. For example, once I have assessed defects to a structure, I mark up the defects on plan drawings and send them to CAD Technicians to amend. Once these drawings have been amended, I then check that all my comments have been addressed as well as make general checks, for example, to ensure that all text is in the same font and size and there are no clashes with other elements of the drawing. These are then sent to a Senior Engineer and then the Client for review."

"I joined AECOM as an Apprentice Civil Engineer in August 2018, after just completing my A Levels. Starting salary for a role similar to mine for a school leaver ranges from £13,000 to £17,000 per year, depending on what academic level apprenticeship you start.During my first year, I liased with on site engineers during the upgrade of a sewage treatment works. I gathered information on the structures being built, marked this up on drawings and passed this to the CAD Technicians to amend existing drawings. I would then check the drawings matched with what had been built and when everything had been checked, these were then released to the Client. I was really surprised that I was given such an important role at an early stage in my career. I enjoyed the challenge and learnt an incredible amount in a short space of time having been given this opportunity.During my second year, I have been undertaking principal inspections on highway structures, such as subways, gantries, bridges, retaining walls and carriageways. These inspections are to assess the condition of the structures and report any defects and subsequent remedial works required to maintain good working order. Defects which I look for include graffiti, cracking, corrosion, moss growth and leachate stains. Some defects identified could be so serious that a road or bridge may need to be shut to the public until repairs have taken place. From working on site, I get to meet lots of different and interesting people who make my day enjoyable and we have great fun whilst we get the job done.I have recently completed my second out of five years at university, which I attend once a week. For my degree so far, I have studied materials, maths, surveying and structural, fluid and soil mechanics. In years 3, 4 and 5, of my degree, I will be studying, hydraulics, geotechnics, structures and project management. I enjoy being an apprentice as I am able to apply the topics which I am learning at university to my day job which also helps me with my degree as I am able to understand the relevance of each topic and give real-life examples."

"I went to a comprehensive school and sixth form. I particularly enjoyed studying maths and DT and this combined with my goal of wanting to make difference in the world by solving some of its complex problems meant that the natural progression was to seek a career such as one in civil engineering. I decided to become an apprentice as I wanted to gain a practical understanding to all topics being learnt at university.I was inspired by the architect of Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed a house to be built and cantilevered over a waterfall and rocks using reinforced concrete and sandstone. I was fascinated with how this house blends in so well with its natural environment in rural Pennsylvania and had not given into the elements of nature due to clever engineering. My goal is to one day design and engineer a structure of this standard. Although I had not had a job prior to working at AECOM, I was a volunteer Young Leader for Girlguiding UK for approximately 4 years. This was a weekly commitment but also required a lot of planning before each meeting took place. From doing this, I developed my organisational and planning skills and learnt how to adapt when last minute changes to the schedule were made on the night."

"I am socially active with a real passion for dancing. I have been attending dance classes and have been taking professional qualifications from the United Kingdom Alliance (UKA) for the last 12 years. I am coached weekly by a former professional dancer from the hit BBC series Strictly Come Dancing. I have completed gold bar exams from the UKA in both ballroom (honours) and Latin dancing (highly commended). I really enjoy designing and building structures using Lego in my spare time. Even though I love to do this, it also helps me to understand engineering concepts such as structural loading and designing and building to scale which definitely helps with my day job, when I analyse structures such as bridges and also with my university work when I study topics in structural mechanics."

"My job varies on a daily basis and I try to take advantage of this by learning at least one new thing each day that will help me to become a better engineer. This includes learning how to use a new function within computer software, such as AutoCAD, to gaining new technical knowledge which will help me to provide better design solutions to meet the needs the Client. During my time at AECOM, I have undertaken two completely different roles in both the Water and Structures teams. As detailed earlier, during my first year in the Water team, I acted as project coordinator between on site engineers, the CAD design team and project management. I also undertook work on a national infrastructure project, calculating water runoff rates using forecasting software that takes into consideration climate change over 30, 50 and 100 years. During my second year, based in the Structures team, I have been undertaking on site principal inspections to highway structures and specifying remedial works required for these structures to be in fully working order and to ensure they do not pose a risk to members of the public.I attend university once a week to improve on my technical engineering knowledge and apply this to what I am learning in my day job.Regularly at AECOM, we have continuing professional development (CPD) sessions such as the Knowledge Sharing Programme (KSP) initiative. Graduates and apprentices share their work experiences with other junior staff to explain the projects they are working on and the opportunities which they are given."

"Prior to starting my apprenticeship, I had just completed my ALevels in maths, geography and business. I also studied DT: product design at AS level.I joined AECOM as an Apprentice Civil Engineer and am currently working towards my level 6 BEng in Civil Engineering. I am also a student member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and once I have completed my degree, I will be working towards gaining IEng chartership."