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Atkins is planning to recruit approximately 200 graduates in the UK in 2012. Generally, those on the graduate scheme will be working in the UK only. Sometimes opportunities will arise overseas but they are restricted to the recruits who are judged to have developed the necessary skills and experience.
The company is arranged into different areas of business. These are: aerospace, building design, communications and systems, defence, development infrastructure, environment services, finance, geotechnics and tunnelling, management consultants, nuclear power, oil and gas, rail and metro, and water. There is a wide range of roles available in each business, including:
The business area that graduates can apply for is determined by their degree subject – those with a background in civil or mechanical engineering are accepted into many areas of the business, but those with other degrees are much more restricted.
Although Atkins operates out of many sites in the UK, not all areas of the business are represented at each site, and as graduates will work for a specific division depending on their degree discipline, being flexible about location will maximise their opportunities. The training received on the scheme is drawn up in consultation with the graduate and is focused on the particular business area that the graduate is employed in, which leads to a suitable professional qualification and determines the individual’s future career direction with the company.
Atkins offers two different schemes for those students who have already started their degree course:
According to some reports, successfully completing a placement may ultimately result in a job offer.
Work placement opportunities can be in a range of different areas across the company, within which there are various different disciplines available. Recent placements have included:
Placements can be in various different locations across the UK, depending on the role. Location may also affect pay levels; while Atkins itself doesn’t disclose any figures, reports put intern salary at £14,000-£17,000.
Work experience placements can be applied for by visiting Atkins’ website and searching for vacancies. Entry requirements vary by scheme, but candidates are usually expected to be studying towards a degree in a relevant subject.
Success in a placement can result in a job offer.
There are no specified deadlines for work experience placements; placements are put up on the site as they become available. The recruitment process consists of:
Industrial placements
University summer placements
While most recruitment is carried out during this period, some roles are available as late as March.
Atkins graduates will work on a number of different projects throughout the programme, giving them exposure to various aspects of the business. There are opportunities to take placements in different functions, or even outside the company.
This on-the-job experience will form the basis of professional development; however, graduates will also undergo formal training courses to help support their learning. These cover soft skills such as presentation-giving and assertiveness, as well as technical skills like report-writing and steel design.
Depending on which area of the business they’re based in, graduates will work towards membership with a professional body such as the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) or the Institute of Structural Engineers (IStructE). Professional membership may also be available to those in commercial roles such as accounting, which is quite uncommon for employers in the sector.
Atkins offers to pay for any necessary study materials, and will also refund the cost of membership.
Atkins stresses that graduates should be involved in planning their own professional development, and says there is a lot of flexibility as to how they progress through the graduate programme. Graduates are encouraged to work with their line manager to create a development plan, which will be reviewed and adapted over time to ensure they get the most from their training.
Graduates are encouraged to plan their own professional development.
Each employee is also allocated their own mentor to help guide them through the graduate scheme and their future career. There are three main career routes from which to choose: business, project management, or technical.
Atkins invested £14m in training in 2011, and introduced a new analysis process for identifying training needs in different areas of the business. Key areas for investment included client engagement, project management and technical excellence.
Much of Atkins’ training is delivered in-house through ‘Atkins University’, which gives employees online access to training and development facilities, including formal courses and self-directed learning. Examples of training programmes include:
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