Graduate careers in civil engineering: 5 ways to set yourself up for success

Hi, I'm Will. I'm an Operations Director at AtkinsRéalis. I look after a mix of financial performance, budgets, compliance, people and culture, and continuously improve our approach to health, safety and wellbeing. I use data and insights to help shape priorities and work closely with our leadership team to keep things moving day-to-day and to grow our business. I've also led plenty of significant projects for key clients – from winning work to delivering it, always aiming to delight our clients with excellent outcomes.

How my civil engineering career took shape?

I graduated from University College London and later achieved chartered status as a civil engineer. I began my career as a Transport Planner and was fortunate to work on several high-profile projects, including the Elizabeth line, the London 2012 Olympics, and National Highways' Regional Investment Programme. These projects gave me the opportunity to develop my managerial and leadership skills alongside technical delivery. Since joining AtkinsRéalis in 2016, I've worked on a range of multi-discipline infrastructure projects, before moving into my current operations role within the Transport Advisory and Consulting practice in Transportation.

Key moments in my journey to senior engineering leadership

Two moments really stand out for me. The first was just after completing my chartership with the Institution of Civil Engineers. I'd received my professional qualification and I was eager for my next step up by proving myself on a high profile project. Few projects are more high profile than managing a complex games time transport planning commission for the London 2012 Olympics! It was a big step for someone newly chartered, but my seniors had full confidence in my ability to succeed. Thankfully, it all worked out.

The second pivotal moment came at AtkinsRéalis. I've always looked to grow beyond my role, learning and building new capabilities. Taking on the role of Operations Director gave me a much broader view of how the business runs. It helped me see how project and business management need to work hand in hand, and how vital their integration is to delivering value. Read more about how our Transportation team is connecting the world.

How I built skills for project management and operations?

First, I always make sure to break down my role and understand what good looks like in each area. In my operations space, that means focusing on compliance, operational efficiency, delivery excellence and financial performance. I've made it a point to learn from others, take on feedback, keep improving, and stay open to new ideas.

I'm a big believer in the 70-20-10 learning model. Most of my development has come through day-to-day work, but I also take training courses when I need to upskill. That said, training is most effective when you're in a role where you can apply it. For example, I attended THRIVE – our health and safety leadership course – three years into my Operations Director role, and it was far more valuable than it would have been at the start. By that point, I could relate to everything in the course and had the opportunity to put it into practice as a leader. Read more stories from our transportation employees.

AtkinsRéalis is a great place to grow. You're supported with the right tools, training, and community to keep developing, whatever stage you're at. It's a culture that backs you to take charge of your career—and helps you go further with it.

Browse these high-impact leadership roles in the Transportation team.