Mouchel 2024 graduate opportunities}

• Name: Tom
• Role: Graduate Systems Engineer / Highways Division
• University: Nottingham Trent University
• Degree: First in Electronic and Communications Engineering

"I was mainly doing Design Engineering in my first role, so I wanted my next step to involve more project management and client interaction. With their consultative approach and large, interesting projects, Mouchel Parkman fitted the bill perfectly."

Active Traffic Management

"Since joining Mouchel Parkman I have been a member of the Controlled Motorways Consultancy team, working on the development of new electronic signage and speed enforcement systems, designed to give our client greater control over the flow of traffic on their network. This equipment has now been installed as part of the Active Traffic Management Pilot Project on the M42. The signage allows variable speed limits to be implemented depending upon traffic conditions, and gives the option of opening the hard shoulder as a running lane when required. The enforcement equipment works in parallel with the signage, ensuring that drivers comply with the variable speed limits and making sure traffic flows smoothly. I've been involved in all aspects of the project, including the development, testing, installation and commissioning of equipment, and the project management needed to ensure that project milestones are delivered on time."

Seeing a project through

"A typical day might see me out on site dealing with contractors, troubleshooting equipment problems, or working closely with our client to ensure their needs are met.

Today I've been liaising with the Police to develop a test procedure as we prepare for handover, and it's been really satisfying seeing the project through all its different stages.

The best thing about working here is the sheer variety of projects. I've had the chance to participate in desktop studies, night works, and I've even been invited to present two papers I've written at the ITS World Congress later this year."

• Role: Government Services / Property
• University: University of Nottingham
• Degree: First Class BA Management Studies

"As a non-cognate student, I came into the industry with very little specialist knowledge, but plenty of enthusiasm to get involved in such interesting work. I undertook a RICS accredited post graduate conversion course with the University of Reading, which gave me a broad introduction to the surveying profession. I constantly build on this and find myself learning something new on the job everyday. I am just over half way through the minimum period required to become chartered with the RICS and this is a major objective of mine.

The team in which I work is made up of a number of building surveyors with a range of skills and experience. Our work consists primarily of making alterations and improvements to the county councils buildings and also creating new buildings to support the county’s growth agenda. For us surveyors, the projects range in value from £10K to £1M, lasting from a few months to over a year or two and involve professionals from a range of disciplines.

I have been given the responsibility to run several projects under the guidance of a more experienced colleague, who is always available to give advice and answer my queries. Initially these have been lower value refurbishment and internal alterations which are of a suitable scale and degree of complexity. I am also assisting a colleague on a larger scheme to provide a Sure Start Children’s Centre as an extension to an existing school.

I enjoy the challenge that the role provides, having to solve problems and be creative, I never find myself watching the clock. ‘Each day is different’ is a widely used adage but nonetheless perfectly applicable here. I might perform one or a number of activities including: surveying a site, developing a design, writing a specification, writing a stage report for one of our clients, liaising with other specialist disciplines including mechanical, electrical or structural engineers, planning officers, building control inspectors and health and safety experts and co-ordinating with contractors when the project gets on site."

• Name: Keith Cheung
• Role: Rail Professional Services / Structures South
• University: Imperial College
• Degree: MEng Civil Engineering

"My department generally deals with structures to do with railways. However we are involved with the design and assessment of other structures as well. Projects I have worked on span from bridge assessments to advising on HSE regarding civil asset risk management. Other work we are involved in includes the use of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) to strengthen existing structures for the Corporation of London and a 100 year old bridge for Essex County Council."

Prestigious Projects

"Aside from the rail aspect, I have designed the steel structure of a 13 span viaduct carrying a highway above the Hunslet area in Leeds. I have been commissioned by the MP Ports and Coastal team to provide computational analysis support in designing a bridge and steel frame structure between two jetties.

I have also had the opportunity to be part of the award winning Gasport Teeside project. This involved designing a pre-tensioned concrete bridge spanning between two jetty heads with a steel tower to mount a gas supply loading arm that connects to a docked gas ship. A further truss foot walkway was also installed for pedestrian access. I was responsible for carrying out a structural analysis of a steel tower, pre-tensioned concrete bridge and the truss walkway using STAAD to ascertain load effects in order facilitate the design of structural components."

Variety and Challenge

"Having been with Mouchel Parkman since the merger in 2003, I can see we are making a big name for ourselves on the civil scene. Amongst others we are actively bidding for projects on the Olympic Commission. With such potential growth there are undoubtedly plenty of opportunities for career development. I am pursuing further involvement in project management whilst also improving my technical ability both of which I have confidence that MP can provide. I have aspirations to be charted by end of 2008 and a project manager within 2-3 years.

Since joining MP I have been involved in at least 15 different projects varying in nature from technical based to project management and consultancy. I have found it a satisfying challenge to multitask between the projects and complete them within the deadlines agreed."

• Name: Sean Harries
• Role: Assistant Project Manager / Management Consultancy
• University: University of Birmingham
• Degree: BSc Environmental Management

"My name is Sean Harries and I have been with Mouchel Parkman for 4 months. I joined as part of the Graduate Induction Programme and my role is Assistant Project Manager within Management Consultancy, but more specifically situated in the New Models of School Organisation division - more commonly known as the Academies team - which is within Education & Learning Services.

Academies are a new type of publicly funded independent secondary school, that offer a real alternative for inner city schools with a history of underperformance. This aims to improve children's opportunities and offer improved community resources.

Since starting at the company I have found that the members of the Academies team are all extremely helpful, friendly and adopt a work hard play harder attitude. I found that anyone would stop what they were doing and dedicate their full attention to answer any question. I also believe that the values which the company upholds are permeated throughout the staff and are reflected in their work and attitude towards others.

I was going to write about a typical day as an Assistant Project Manager but there is no such thing as a typical day. One aspect of the job that keeps me so interested in my work is the fact that every day is different. I regularly travel to work on the tube on a Monday morning thinking 'what will I be doing this week?' Of course part of the job is planning ahead but you always have new challenges to face.

Another angle of my work, which I have really enjoyed, has been working with a number of various clients. They range from multi-million pound sponsors, Local Authorities, staff and students, and public relations companies. This side of the work really appealed to me as I have a good level of inter-personal skills. The people you work with will recognise your strengths and really help you to develop them.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the flexibility you are offered at Mouchel Parkman. My induction period was valuable in helping to progress and shape my way forward. I was offered a vast range of options within the business which I could pursue and these have all been fed into my 12 month targets.

At present I work on a number of small projects, a main project in Oxford and I have also been given ownership of a learning forum for Assistant Project Managers throughout the company. Learning is something that is fully supported by Mouchel Parkman and I have been encouraged to join the Association of Project Managers and will be completing PRINCE2 training- a recognised project manager's tool/qualification.

I think a good summary would be that Mouchel Parkman can train, support, encourage and reward you, but most of all assist you to develop your professional career in the best environment."

• Name: Tom Cuthbert
• Role: Graduate Mechanical Engineer / MP Energy
• University: Loughborough University
• Degree: First Class honours in Mechanical Engineering

"The Energy division within Mouchel Parkman (MP) attracted me to join the company. Within this business stream, projects are undertaken relating to oil and gas (and much more). This is a dynamic and diverse sector of engineering and consultancy, with endless prospects for varying disciplines. Within Energy there is a vast array of engineering and project management experience, with certain members of staff being renowned experts within their field. This is an ideal scenario for an ambitious and developing engineer to capitalise on!

Energy has in house experience in disciplines such as Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Instrumentation & Control, as well as project services. I am part of the Mechanical team, based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, primarily working on the design and project coordination of High Pressure Gas pipelines and Above Ground Installations (AGI)."

Projects

"I have been involved in a number of projects to date, including the Brecon to Tirley 1220mm diameter Pipeline Project. This is a huge project that involves the design and construction of a cross country pipeline to link the Milford Haven liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal to the national gas transition system (NTS). MP Energy is responsible for the design and engineering of the AGI's and technical support for the Environmental Impact Assessment on the project. On this project, MP Energy has also designed two of the largest Pressure Reduction Installations (PRI), which are located in Herefordshire and South Wales, as well as facilitating the design and layout of the main pipeline route.

I have been involved in projects such as the Teeside Gasport (the world's first dockside LNG regasification port) and a Pipeline project in Cheshire that entails facilitating underground Gas storage in Salt Cavities."

Roles and Responsibilities

"I have provided engineering and project coordination support on various projects. However, more recently, I have taken responsibility for the Design Coordination for the Brecon to Tirley Interconnection project and the Cheshire Pipeline feasibility study. This role involves generating the engineering calculations, designs and detailed reports. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the design coordinator to liaise and instruct the Designer (CAD Operator) with the direction and technical specifics of the project. This engineering role also requires the checking of designs and in depth familiarity of technical specifications.

I am accountable to the Project Manager, but take full responsibility for the coordination and consistency of design amongst the different disciplines in house that have involvement. This requires a good understanding of the other disciplines and excellent communication and organisational skills. I take part in regular design progress meetings with the client and lead the meetings in my areas of responsibility.

I continue to push my self in all areas of expertise and I'm supported every step of the way by Mouchel Parkman."

• Name: Ivanka
• Role: Graduate Geotechnical Engineer / Geotechnical Team / Land and Environment
• University: Imperial College London
• Degree: MEng in Civil Engineering

"I was attracted to a job with Mouchel Parkman due to the impressive graduate scheme that was on offer and the friendly atmosphere in the offices. Due to the size of the company, the graduate scheme offers the possibility of moving between different roles, which was great as I was not completely set on which type of civil engineer I wanted to be. This has included working in the engineering services division, which helped me decide that geotechnics was the discipline for me."

The variety of engineering

"Working as a geotechnical engineer that services such a large multidisciplinary company, there is a large variety of engineering on offer. Mouchel Parkman has very experienced Rail and Highways teams that work on large projects for Network Rail and the Highways Agency. I have also had the opportunity to work on smaller schemes."

My role

"There isn't really a typical day that I can describe as the projects and roles that I play are so diverse. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in projects at a variety of stages. On the more technical side, I have been involved in desk studies including route options for new roads and site walkovers, site investigation design and supervision, slope stability analysis and foundation design, construction supervision and post-construction feedback. On several months at a time the softer skills side, I have been involved in project finance and programming and all of the contract management and health and safety management that comes along with being on site for."

Projects

"Most of my time at Mouchel Parkman has been spent working on Highways Agency communications schemes around London, including M4, M3, M1 and M23. These involve looking at historically failing embankments and providing foundation solutions for Variable Message Signs (VMS) such that the slopes are not adversely affected. This type of project requires liaison with many teams to come up with the best solutions for the structure, the communication system, the road safety design, and the environmental impact and buildability aspects of a motorway environment.

I am also currently involved with a couple of railway station upgrades improving public access to the station. This involves ground investigations and then the design of lift shafts and piled suspended footways along a steep embankment. I am also involved in the analysis of a failing embankment on a local road in Berkshire to find the failure mechanism and to recommend remediation solutions.

During my secondment to the engineering services division, I was involved in various structural and infrastructure schemes for London borough councils. One of these projects was the suspended footway design of which on my return to the geotechnical division, I am continuing with the subsurface design.

With the Land and Environment Business Unit, Geotechnics works closely with contaminated land specialists, ecologists, land mapping experts and environmental scientists. This provides a great opportunity to really understand the project well."

• Name: Glenn
• Role: Assistant Engineer / Ports Team of Water Projects
• University: University of Plymouth
• Degree: BEng in Civil and Coastal Engineering

"I became aware of Mouchel Parkman through Keith Davies, consultant to Mouchel Parkman's Ports and Coastal business, and a Professor at the University of Plymouth who teaches coastal engineering and ports design to final year students. His discussions on projects he had worked on increased my desire to become part of the MP Ports team, and a few months after graduating…I got my chance!"

Prestigious Projects

"Since joining Mouchel Parkman, I have had the opportunity to work on some prestigious projects in varying capacities, one of which was the provision of technical assistance for the new Liverpool Cruise Liner Facility. This £18m project involves a new 250m long floating berth, capable of accommodating cruise liners up to the size of the Queen Mary II. This project is intended to contribute to the further regeneration of Liverpool. I have also been given the opportunity to manage some projects, including jetty condition surveys at two oil refineries. This has given me experience in project and financial management, client interaction and technical report writing. In both cases I also prepared the bid proposal, so it has been a great feeling to win the work and see our solutions to the clients problems come to fruition."

Kuwait Experience

"My most memorable experience thus far has undoubtedly been working in Mouchel Parkman's Kuwait Office for six months between January and October 2006. It was an immense challenge not only to work in a different country, but also live and experience a totally different culture. In January 2007 I travelled back down to the University of Plymouth to give an Employers Presentation to students on my old course. At the end of the presentation some of my old Lecturers came up to me and expressed amazement at the opportunities I have had in such a short space of time!"

• Name: Anthony
• Role: Graduate Waste Engineer / Waste Infrastructure Team
• University: Loughborough University
• Degree: Masters in Civil Engineering

"I had undertaken a sandwich year as part of my degree at university, where the bulk of my daily work involved concrete science experiments. The natural progression for me was to move to an engineering role following graduation, which I found at Mouchel Parkman. I knew little about Mouchel Parkman when I applied, but the reports I did hear concerning friendly staff and the company proceeding in the right direction were certainly accurate."

Waste Management Facilities

"Since joining Mouchel Parkman I have been a member of the Waste Infrastructure team, working on the construction of two large waste management facilities in East London. The facilities receive the household waste from the dustbins of local residents, dry it, and process it to remove all of the recyclable materials, which are sent off to be recycled; the remaining waste material is taken off to landfill sites. Our team's role on the project was as project manager on behalf of the client, and as such we were responsible for some of the design work, site supervision and managing the construction. My personal role has been largely project management and commissioning due to the stage in the project at which I arrived."

A Typical Day
"A typical day might see me writing sections of a technical report, interpreting engineering drawings to verify the dimensions and locations of site features, co-ordinating and scheduling some site operations and liaising with the client to understand any problems that have arisen and attempt to solve them. I have also been to site to attend project meetings with the client, witness the testing of the machinery and gather information to be processed in the office. One of the most gratifying aspects of the job is the amount of client contact to which I have been exposed, which has led to larger amounts of trust and responsibility than I would have expected in my first year of employment."

Graduate Opportunities

"Mouchel Parkman provides good support to graduates and encourages them to fulfil their potential by registering for the Chartership scheme of the institution of their choice. The amount of construction work that is currently being undertaken in Dubai has already led to several of my colleagues accepting roles there, and this remains a distinct possibility for me in the not too distant future. The graduate social activities are plentiful with monthly lunchtime forums consisting of presentations from senior staff and external companies and discussions, usually followed by a visit to the pub after work! The graduate induction event in a smart hotel was also a very enjoyable event, providing ample opportunity to network and socialise."