Laurence, BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering

Laurence spent 13 months working in the rail projects team of Hyder Consulting (UK), as part of a year in industry placement. He is due to return to Hyder in summer 2014, after graduating from Nottingham Trent University in July.

I became interested in engineering at an early age, whilst visiting a concrete precast factory with my father. Whilst walking around the factory, I was unable to comprehend the scale of the reinforced concrete elements around me, leaving me in awe of the people who created these products.

From that point on, I was always interested in the way that things were put together. I would read DIY manuals and take objects apart to see how they worked. This often resulted in box of spare bulbs, resistors and other miscellaneous parts, and an object that was no longer fit for purpose!

I undertook work experience placements at school, working with both mechanical and electrical engineers. I always wanted to work on a larger scale, which is where civil engineering came in. As a civil engineer, I would have the opportunity to design and build roads, bridges and other key pieces of infrastructure, all of which are necessary for today and future generations.
The idea of being able to create something that can help other people has always been a key influence in helping me decide my career path. I studied Maths and Physics at A-level to give me the foundations required to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering at university. As part of my undergraduate degree, I took the opportunity, after my second year of study to complete a placement year in industry. This proved invaluable and confirmed my career decision to continue further study at postgraduate level.

In the future, I hope to complete my Master’s degree in Advanced Civil and Environmental Engineering and go on to become a Chartered engineer. I am always keen to gain experience where I can, and maybe even work abroad.

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