From drainage engineering to shaping Heathrow expansion: Ayushi on growth, mentorship, and building multidisciplinary expertise 

At AtkinsRéalis, growth often begins with saying yes to opportunities that push you beyond your comfort zone.

For Ayushi, that journey started in drainage engineering and gradually evolved into a multidisciplinary career spanning utilities, roads, grading, pavement design, project coordination, and leadership initiatives. Today, she is part of the Heathrow Expansion / Long Term Growth Programme, contributing to one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the UK.

In this conversation, Ayushi reflects on technical growth, mentorship, innovation, and the culture that helped shape her journey.

Can you tell us about the project you’re currently working on? 

I’m currently working on the Heathrow Expansion / Long Term Growth Programme, which focuses on the design proposal for the third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The project aims to support increasing passenger demand, and I’m genuinely excited to be part of such a significant infrastructure development that will have a long‑lasting impact on people and connectivity.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a large‑scale, multidisciplinary project involving extensive design coordination, enabling works, and several other critical components.

My current responsibilities include utilities design covering roads, stormwater design, non‑potable water, and fire water networks, along with civil works related to construction support sites.

Overall, being involved in such a transformative project has been both challenging and rewarding, and it’s helping me grow across multiple technical and coordination areas.

What aspects of the company culture do you appreciate the most? 

One of the things I appreciate most about the culture at AtkinsRéalis is the strong sense of support and encouragement from leadership.

I’ve always felt empowered to take on new opportunities and challenge myself to do my best. The guidance I’ve received from my mentors has been invaluable, not only professionally, but also for my personal growth and confidence.

What truly stands out is how genuinely people care about each other’s progress. There’s a real personal connection, which creates a psychologically safe environment where I feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and continuing to learn.

What accomplishment are you most proud of during your journey here? 

I’m proud of the way I’ve grown through both project work and Global Technology Center (GTC) initiatives, which eventually allowed me to take on leadership roles across the organisation.

One of the most rewarding experiences has been mentoring early careers professionals across GTC from 2020 to 2026. Supporting others in their growth journey has taught me a lot about leadership and collaboration.

I’m also currently leading the WE initiatives for the Water and Environment (W&E) team, which has given me the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to culture and team development.

Another major highlight was my secondment to the Epsom and London offices in the UK, where I worked on the EDAROTH and SCC projects. That experience broadened my perspective significantly and strengthened both my technical and coordination capabilities.

I also had the opportunity to present the Water Team’s capabilities to AtkinsRéalis board members, an experience that really boosted my confidence and helped me grow professionally and personally.

What opportunities for growth have you experienced within the company? 

One of the biggest opportunities I’ve experienced is the ability to continuously expand my technical and professional horizons.

I joined as a drainage engineer, but as the company and team evolved, I was exposed to a much broader range of work.

Being part of the D&LD team in Water gave me opportunities to work on land development projects, which helped me gradually build multidisciplinary expertise. Over time, I expanded my skills beyond drainage into utilities, grading, pavement design, roads, and multidisciplinary coordination.

These experiences strengthened not only my technical foundation but also my project management and problem‑solving capabilities.

What I truly value is that the company consistently gave me the space to learn, explore, and grow into a more well‑rounded civil engineer.

Can you share an initiative that sparked innovation within your team?

One initiative that really sparked innovation within our team was Project Ignite, a full‑day workshop organised for the Water D&LD team.

The idea was to step away from day‑to‑day delivery work and rethink our processes from a fresh perspective.

We focused on identifying challenges across design and project delivery, while exploring how digital tools and innovative thinking could simplify workflows and improve efficiency.

What made the initiative impactful was the open collaboration it encouraged. It gave teams the space to share ideas freely, think beyond routine tasks, and come up with practical improvements that could be directly applied to projects.

It was a strong reminder that innovation often begins when people are given the time and platform to reflect and collaborate.

What does diversity and inclusion mean to you? 

To me, inclusion starts with building genuine personal connections.

When we take the time to understand people beyond their roles or backgrounds, we naturally create an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and heard.

I also believe inclusion means giving people the space to express themselves professionally and personally while supporting their independence.

Sometimes, small everyday actions listening openly, respecting different perspectives, or simply offering support, can make the biggest difference in creating a more inclusive workplace.

What is your favourite aspect of working with your team?

My favourite aspect is how approachable and supportive everyone is.

People are always willing to share knowledge, offer help, and ensure no one feels stuck or alone in their work. That culture of supporting one another makes even challenging days manageable.

What I also value is that our relationships go beyond work. We spend time together outside the office, celebrate milestones, and genuinely enjoy each other’s company, which strengthens our collaboration even further.

How does AtkinsRéalis support work‑life balance? 

The company prioritises work‑life balance in practical and meaningful ways.

Managers actively encourage healthy workload management and regularly check in to ensure responsibilities are distributed fairly.

Leadership also strongly supports learning and development, giving us the flexibility to step away from day‑to‑day project delivery to focus on training and upskilling without feeling overwhelmed.

That balance between delivery, learning, and wellbeing is something I genuinely appreciate.

Can you share an example where communication helped solve a challenge?

A recent example was while working on the Heathrow project during the batching plant utilities design.

Our team faced some uncertainties, and instead of relying on long email exchanges, I opted for quick discussions with colleagues from the Sizewell C project who had relevant experience.

Those conversations helped us quickly understand similar site challenges they had faced, align on the right approach, and move forward confidently.

It reinforced how effective clear, real‑time communication can be in resolving ambiguity and improving collaboration.

With advancements in digital tools, data, and AI, I expect to take on more responsibilities focused on improving efficiency, streamlining workflows, and enabling smarter decision‑making.

I’m excited about continuing to evolve technically while also contributing to more integrated, digitally driven ways of delivering projects.

Inspired by Ayushi’s journey? Explore opportunities at AtkinsRéalis and discover how you can grow your expertise, work on impactful infrastructure projects, and shape the future alongside global teams.