What discipline and cohort are you in?
2021 Rail Infrastructure services Graduate.
Provide an overview of all your rotations to date:
My rotations to date have been site-based at traction substations. These were shorter projects that allowed me to experience the construction life cycle from start to finish. My role typically included checking over quality documentation to ensure works were meeting specifications.
For my last year of the Graduate Programme, I’ve joined CYP on the Metro Tunnel Project. Aspects such as interacting with our contractors and completing quality documentation are similar to my previous role. However, the processes and systems are much more complex and have been one of the main challenges I’ve been tackling.
What does your typical workday look like?
My days typically start off with planning around the works on site and setting some goals on work I want ticked off. However, there’s always something new happening on-site and usually, these plans get thrown out the window!
After a site walk, I’ll go through my emails and prep for any meeting later in the day. There are always frequent changes happening throughout the day, so flexibility has been key in my role.
What has been the most interesting thing about your job?
The most interesting aspect has been the numerous sites I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in. It’s an eye-opener to see the challenges that arise in delivering a project on-site compared to what’s been written on paper.
What are the limitations of your role?
It took some time to adjust to the long hours of work! Figuring out my work-life balance is an ongoing process. Setting a time where I have to log off has really helped me in getting on top of this.
What is something you wish you knew before you started?
I would have liked to know more about the construction industry and how projects are sequenced from start to finish. This has been a learning curve, but my mentors and project team have really helped me expand my understanding.
How did you prepare for starting on the Graduate Program?
The construction industry was completely new to me before I started. The only way I could prepare was to go in with an open mind and by preparing myself to ask lots of questions.