Case studies : Consultant water engineer: Jill

Jill has a degree in civil engineering. She chose to work as a water engineer after spending a gap year in Ecuador working on a water project.

My degree was broad, covering all aspects of civil engineering such as mechanics, hydraulics, water engineering and design, as well as basic business skills such as computing and project management. During my studies I took a gap year supervising the installation of eight new water distribution systems in a village in Ecuador. I was responsible for the design, project management, labour management and site supervision. This experience helped me develop both technical and project management skills and was definitely an invaluable experience. I also did a placement with a Scottish Water Company. After this I applied to a few environmental agencies in London and I now work for one of them, probably one of the biggest in the UK.

My role has varied considerably since I started as I have become involved in different projects. I have worked in various clean and waste water projects, sewerage, flood management, hydraulic modelling and groundwater remediation. I am involved in various aspects of water engineering such as conceptual design, feasibility reporting and site supervision. I have worked for different clients including government authorities and water companies.

My degree was very relevant to my role, however some of my colleagues have a background in hydrology or hydraulics, but I also had work experience related to water engineering which I gained during my degree and gap year. Therefore, I had the skills needed for the job. Apart from technical knowledge, teamwork and innovation are essential for my job.

The most enjoyable aspect of my job is working on different projects for different clients. I can never get bored as there is so much variety in what we do. The less enjoyable part is working on-site when weather conditions are bad. Also the job can be stressful especially if something goes wrong. I am really happy with my job at the moment so I would like to work for my current employer for a few more years and gain more experience. I would be interested in working abroad as well, maybe on a project or even on full-time basis. One of the good things about water engineering is that your skills are transferable anywhere in the world.

If you want a career in water engineering, I would advise you to do a placement as a water engineer to find out whether you like it or not. Also, try to learn some computing, project management and general business skills as they are equally important as technical knowledge. Finally, be ready to do lots of on-site dirty work.