Tell us about your first year at Wessex Water
'It was challenging as every job is when you first start, however, I always felt so supported by colleagues that I quickly felt part of the team. As the year went along I started gaining more responsibilities in the role and felt more confident about the work I did. It was impressive how many skills were acquired during the first year, especially teamworking skills, interpersonal skills and a sense of responsibility.'
What support did you receive?
'I have always received support from the entire team at Wessex Water and senior colleagues were available to advise and answer questions. I was given the opportunity to complete my master’s degree whilst working and join the ICE Chartership programme through Wessex Water. A professional development plan was set and re-viewed annually which allowed me to assess my career path.'
What have you learnt about the role and the water industry?
'I cannot possibly measure the amount I have learnt about the water industry and Wessex Water in my first year. I believe this is a continuous learning. In my first role I was able to learn about environmental constraints and operational processes. I also learned how to carry out structural analysis of sewers, assessments on the hydraulic capacity and the serviceability of sewerage assets.'
What roles have you performed since you joined the company?
'I started working for Wessex Water in the High Level Assessment team (within the Network Design team), carrying out investigations on flooding issues throughout the Wessex Water region. I recently moved to the Sewer Rehabilitation team.'
What is your most outstanding achievement so far?
'I have won the International Water Security Network (IWSN) prize for best undergraduate final year in 2017 and the Pipeline Industries Guild Professional Development Network Presentation Competition in 2018, both supported by Wessex Water. An article entitled MAC: Innovative Sewer Assessment was published in the Trenchless International magazine as part of the final year project. I presented it at the Conference NoDig Med in Medellin. I also completed my master’s degree in Civil and Structural Engineering whilst working full time for Wessex Water.'
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