Placement FAQs

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• Are Atkins and AtkinsRéalis the same company? 
  • We’re making some exciting changes to our company brands and uniting SNC-Lavalin, Atkins, and Faithful+Gould to become AtkinsRéalis. This is a journey and it will take time to evolve, so for the time being for early careers you will still see us at Atkins, operating under AtkinsRéalis. Please be reassured that this doesn’t impact any of the roles you apply for – we’re still us, just better.

  Does AtkinsRéalis mean any changes to the Placement schemes?

  • Please be reassured that the change doesn’t impact any of the roles you apply for – we’re still us, just better. Our high quality early careers programmes and the rich variety of opportunities we offer remain the same.

• What is the AtkinsRéalis Placement Scheme?

  • Our placements are a great way to get a taste of what it’s like to work with us and are designed to support and complement your degree studies. Whether you’re spending several weeks with us over the summer or 12 months on an industrial placement, you’ll gain invaluable experience in the working world, equipping you with knowledge and understanding of the industry that couldn’t otherwise be obtained through academic studies alone. Upon completion of a successful placement, you could potentially be fast-tracked onto our Graduate Development Programme! Exceptional candidates may also be offered financial support when returning to university.

  How do I apply?

  • Our placement opportunities will be open again for applications in Autumn 2023. We advertise our roles on our Early Careers website and all applications should be made online. If you don’t see a suitable opportunity, why not join our Talent Community?

  I've already made an application, how can I get an update?

  • We’re delighted to hear you’ve taken the first step on your journey with us and made your application. You’ll see live updates on your application by logging into your candidate area. You’ll also receive email updates, so keep an eye on your inbox.

• I am an international student; am I eligible to apply?

  • Yes – AtkinsRéalis is an A rated sponsor within the Home Office Sponsorship Management system under Skilled Worker Visas. This means we can sponsor candidates who don’t currently have the right to work in the UK but possess a valid Student Visa or Graduate Visa. Due to the new UK immigration system in place following Brexit we can also support candidates with pre-settled or settled status. However, this does vary so please ensure you check the eligibility criteria in the job description. If you’d like to apply for an industrial year placement and you’re on a Student Visa, then the placement must be an essential and assessed part of your course. For further information please visit our dedicated webpage here .

• What types of placement do AtkinsRéalis offer?

  • Our paid placement opportunities are designed for students from all degree years (except the final year of study generally) and include:
    
    Summer placements - lasting at least 8 weeks and are completed during your longest academic break from university. They usually run from June through to August.
    
    Industrial placements – often built into and count towards a degree course. They usually commence from the beginning of the academic year (September/October) and they typically last 12 months.
    
    The exact dates for both types of placements are finalised at offer stage.

  What is the structure of the placement scheme?

  • The structure of your placement will depend on which team you join. However, we can guarantee that you’ll be learning about the exciting world of engineering through challenging tasks and responsibilities which help contribute towards our company vision and goals and prepare you for your future graduate career. You can read about experiences of some of our placement students here.

  Who are placements designed for?

  • Our placements are full time paid work posts, designed to support and complement the academic learning of undergrad and post grad students who are studying a relevant degree. Whether it’s spending several weeks with us over the summer or 12 months on an industrial placement, you’ll gain invaluable experience in the working world, equipping you with knowledge and understanding of the industry that couldn’t otherwise be obtained through academic studies alone. Plus, it’s a great way to get a taste of what it’s like to work with us.

• What process will I go through when applying for a placement role?

  • You can find full details of our application process on our ‘How To Apply’ page.

  When’s the closing date for applications?

  • Our closing dates may vary by role, so please read the job description for details. However, we may close earlier than the specified date based on volume of applications we receive, so we recommend you submit your application as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t miss out on your preferred role.

  Can I submit a CV or covering letter?

  • We don’t accept or need CVs or cover letters for our Early Careers roles. We capture all the details we need to assess your application on our online application, which is designed to identify your potential, rather than looking back at past experience.

• I’ve had technical issues, what do I do?

  • Please contact placements@atkinsglobal.com with a brief description of the issue and a screen shot if possible. We’ll be in touch as soon as we can to support you through the next steps. We recommend that you save your application as you work on it and you’ll have the chance to edit it before you submit.

  What does the online immersive assessment involve?

  • Our online Immersive Assessment takes a ‘day in the life of’ approach where we’ve blended a few assessments to make it easier for you and to give you a feel for what it might be like to work for us.
    
    This is a key part of the selection process so it’s really important that you focus on your answers and take it seriously, as the outcome will determine whether you progress to the next stage of the process. You’ll only have one opportunity to do it - so take your computer somewhere quiet, go through the introduction guidelines and listen to the advice that gives you a feel of what to expect.
    
    The test will take you approximately 45 minutes to complete and will consist of several situational judgement questions and questions focused on numerical and verbal reasoning. It concludes with one question requiring a written answer and two questions requiring short, videoed answers (you’ll get a chance to practice the video questions). This further assesses your alignment to our roles and the company. Please note this test is not timed so you can do it at your own pace - the above is an approximate guideline to how long it might take.

  When do interviews take place for the year industry roles?

  • Interviews for our year in industry roles usually take place between November and April. However, we recommend that you complete your application as soon as possible as some roles are very popular.

  Do I need to do an interview for a summer role?

  • For our summer students there is no longer a need to do an interview, we'll take your application and online immersive assessment and consider you for the role you've applied for.

  When will I know if I've have been successful?

  • For our year in industry roles we’ll let you know when you can expect to hear from us at the end of your interview. The exact timeframes may vary depending on the role you’re being considered for, but we’ll contact you by phone or email with an update, so please make sure your details are up to date in your application.

  • I have a disability, are you able to provide adjustments and / or support?

    • Yes, we’re proud to be a Disability Confident accredited employer, and we can provide reasonable adjustments to enable you to demonstrate your full potential throughout our recruitment process. Please let us know as soon as possible about any adjustments you may require so that we can put them in place at the right time. Please contact us on placements@atkinsglobal.com to discuss this in confidence. Learn more about AtkinsRéalis as a disability confident employer.

    What types of adjustments are available for someone who has a disability or health condition?

    • We want you to perform your best at all stages of our recruitment process, and can make adjustments to support this. Examples of adjustments we have made in the past include, but are not limited to, providing assistive technology; extra time; changing the format of an assessment; scheduling an interview at a specific time; and ensuring there is access. For further information and to discuss how we can support you, please contact placements@atkinsglobal.com. Learn more about AtkinsRéalis as a disability confident employer.

    Who can I contact about my application and disability?

    • If you have a specific question related to disability, please contact placements@atkinsglobal.com. All conversations are confidential.

• Where will I be working?

  • As a placement student you’ll be aligned to a specific office, but you may be required to have a flexible and agile approach to working from other offices, client sites or from home depending on the projects you are working on.