Reigate College set me up perfectly for university: at College your education is very much in your hands and the more effort you put in, the better the outcome. Experiencing this responsibility at College meant I felt able to seamlessly transfer this method of working to my university life.

After leaving College, I really enjoyed continuing my education at university and I was overjoyed to get the highest grade of my year at university after four intense years of study.

On graduating, I wanted to specialise in the water sector of the construction industry as through my studies I saw there was huge potential for change and innovation in this area. I joined Binnies in Redhill and I have been working there for two years now. It’s given me incredible opportunities to expand my knowledge and experience in a range of ways.

My role as a Civil Design Engineer involves creating a range of drawings for engineering projects to ensure all stakeholders have sufficient information to allow new structures to be constructed. I’m also responsible for completing hydraulic calculations to ensure that wastewater treatment works provide a reliable service.

Another critical part of my day job is doing the geotechnical calculations that make sure there won’t be any failures or damage to the structures being designed. All this involves lots of discussion with the construction team to ensure that they’re feasible within the resources and time constraints of the project.

So far, I’ve travelled across the UK working on a variety of projects and opportunities. In 2023, I was awarded the New Civil Engineer Graduate of the Year and in 2024, found myself with another award: Rising Star (South-East) for the Institute of Water. I’m looking forward to expanding my responsibilities and experience over the next few years as I aim for Chartership with the Institution of Civil Engineers.

For any current students who aren’t sure what to do, there are so many different amazing jobs out there that you may never have heard of. The only way to find them is to go out there and talk to people. Talking to people through work experience, career days or just friends and family will open doors. You’ve just got to be inquisitive enough to start the conversation!

Reigate College: 2015-2017

Higher Education: MEng Civil Engineering (with placement year), University of Portsmouth

Currently: Civil Engineer, Binnies