Elly McMonies

Name: Elly McMonies
Job: Graduate engineer
Area of work: Environmental
Employer: Jacobs
Qualifications: MEng civil and structural engineering, University of Sheffield

I did a BTEC at college because I enjoyed hands-on work. Later, geotechnics clicked with me and it linked with the environment – I wanted the scope to do other work as well as engineering.

Planning flood defences

I’m working on a project for the Environment Agency: planning flood defences near Carlisle. I just did a five-week site investigation, in which we gained samples for analysis from boreholes, trial pits, window samples and rock coring. The site is within a Special Area of Conservation and borders on Hadrian’s Wall, so we investigated the impact on ecology and archaeology. I’m now back in the office scheduling the testing of the samples, putting together ground models and beginning the analysis and design work, including calculations on bearing capacity, settlement and seepage. I’ve learned about contaminated land, ecology, waste management and geomorphology. People in my department also specialise in areas that I didn’t even know existed before I started!

Taking my skills overseas

I’m looking forward to becoming chartered and getting the opportunity to work abroad. Each country has its own laws and practices so I’d see a different approach. I’d like to get involved in international aid engineering, but I’ll need to build up my skill base first.