Anglian Water

Anglian Water 2024 graduate opportunities}

Company Company Profile

Anglian Water are doing much more than supplying crucial water and water recycling services. We’re developing new and sustainable ways of working, and changing the way people think about water through our ‘Love Every Drop’ campaign. As the environment changes and the population grows, we rise to every challenge.

There are close to 4,500 of us here at Anglian Water and we supply water and water recycling services to more than six million domestic and business customers in the east of England and Hartlepool.

Our population has grown by 20% in the last 20 years, but we still provide the same amount of water today as we did in 1990 – almost 1.2 billion litres every single day.

Our huge region stretches from the Humber north of Grimsby, to the Thames estuary and then from Buckinghamshire to Lowestoft on the east coast. Our 112,833 km of water and sewer pipes could take us a quarter of the way to the moon! They supply and transport water across an area of 27,500 square km.

Compared to other water companies, large parts of our region are typically flat and low-lying. The Fens of Cambridgeshire and the Norfolk Broads are just some of the stunning landscapes we enjoy in a part of the world where approximately a quarter of the land is actually below sea level. That means we have to be aware of the risk of flooding. With few hills around to help out with gravity we have to rely on pumping water from place to place and that uses lots of energy.

Because of the size of our region, we operate 1,257 water and water recycling treatment works. This is around a quarter of all those in England and Wales. Our coastline is approximately 1,240 km long and the recycled water we return to nature must pass strict quality standards set by law and by our regulators.

Case Studies

  • Name: Amy
  • Role: Graduate Management Trainee –Generalist
  • University: University of Chester
  • Degree: BSc Hons Geography and Natural Hazard Management

What inspires, motivates, or gets you excited about your job on a daily basis?

Water and Water Recycling are vital to our everyday lives. I really love being part of Anglian Water and feeling like we are making a difference.

I am motivated by working as part of a team to solve challenges in new ways. It is great to work with a broad variety of people, from Operational Works Technicians to Scientists and Asset Planners. I have also had the opportunity to liaise with external businesses such as the Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Board and Local Councils. I learn something new everyday.

What have been the biggest challenges you have faced so far in the role?

I have faced different challenges in every placement so far; however the biggest challenge that I’ve experienced in every placement has been knowing how to communicate with employees across different levels of the business who all have varying levels of knowledge and experience.

It is always challenging in the first few weeks of a placement when you are trying to gain an understanding of the processes and there are lots of acronyms flying about. I find trying to explain what a ‘level transducer’ or a ‘centrifuge’ is to someone really tests what you have learnt; it often surprises me how much I’m soaking up everyday!

How did you arrive in your present post?

In my third year of university I was looking at job opportunities relating to my degree. I am quite a ‘hands on’ person and enjoy learning whilst doing something practically. I looked at various jobs involving sustainability and energy resources as I knew I wanted to be part of a business where I could make a difference – that’s when I saw the advert for the Anglian Water graduate scheme..

It looked like a great opportunity and different from other graduate roles which put you in a specific role right from the start. By having various placements around different parts of the business, you have the opportunity to learn about different processes and also how the wider business works. I clicked apply and have never looked back…