Laurence – BEng (Hons) MSc CEng MICE

In his first profile here, Laurence was on a placement in industry with the Trust’s Bridge Engineer. He went on to gain his Masters in engineering and here, we catch up with him to find out what he’s up to now.

I achieved my Masters in advanced civil and environmental engineering from the University of Exeter in September 2015. Three and a half years after returning to Bridge Engineer Arcadis as a graduate engineer, I became a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in May 2019.

I work for Arcadis as a Senior Civil/Structural Engineer and particularly enjoy working on large scale projects. For example, I worked on the redevelopment of the London Bridge Station a couple of years after graduating.

The smaller schemes have their merits too – the Access for All scheme is especially important as it provides access across the stations for persons of reduced mobility. I find it inspiring knowing the projects I work on will help improve the lives of others.

Becoming Chartered was an interesting experience. There are two ways to begin. After completing the necessary learning outlined by the ICE – normally in the form of a Masters degree at university – I was appointed onto the Arcadis Training Agreement and given the opportunity to gain the necessary ICE attributes and experience for Chartered Engineer status.

It is also possible to do this via an apprenticeship. The process is to then produce a Professional Review report, which is submitted prior to a formal review. For the review, two Chartered Civil Engineers will review your report and assess a 15 minute presentation on a project or topic chosen by you.

They ask questions based around the attributes, the report and presentation. A written exam is set to demonstrate communication abilities, on one of two topics chosen by the reviewers. Approximately six to eight weeks later, the outcome of the review is decided.

For anyone looking to become a Chartered Engineer, my advice is to get as much experience as you possibly can.

Don’t be afraid to ask other Chartered Engineers for help or guidance. Also, don’t be afraid to try again if things don’t go to plan first time round.

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