I Got Hired: Graduate Flood Risk and Drainage Consultant

Posted on: 7 October 2022 by Samantha Riella in Graduate stories

Class of 2021 Geography graduate Lucy Antell, tells us more about her role as Graduate Flood Risk and Drainage Consultant at Delta-Simons Environmental Consultants.

What is your current job title and organisation you work for?

Graduate Flood Risk and Drainage Consultant at Delta-Simons Environmental Consultants.

How did you hear about the role?

I initially heard about the role from a friend who was in the year above me at university who worked within the water team at Delta-Simons and she told me about a vacancy in her team. The role was also advertised on the company's LinkedIn page.

How did you get to where you are now?

I submitted an application for the advertised role and secured an interview. During the interview I discussed the areas within my degree that enhanced my skills needed for a consultancy role and any relevant extra curricular activities I had undertaken at university that might have helped me stand out. A few days after my interview I was offered the job and have now been working at Delta-Simons for 13 months.

What is your favourite experience as part of your role?

I really enjoy the variety of jobs we undertake, I have worked on Sites across the UK and the Republic of Ireland and have even done some jobs in the Netherlands. In addition to the locations, the work itself varies, and my day to day job can range from undertaking Flood Risk Appraisals, Flood Risk Assessments, Drainage Strategies, Flood Warning and Evacuation Plans, Peer Reviews and Climate Change Resilience Reports which all range in size from a single site to large portfolios.

What was the most challenging part of your graduate journey?

My biggest challenge was adjusting to hybrid working, particularly as the last year and a half of my degree was impacted by COVID and therefore I became used to online working. Hybrid working is a completely new routine to adjust to, and I think the initial change to this can be quite challenging.

What are your top three tips for other students?

1. Join societies or even become a part of a committee - University is not just about the degree you receive at the end; employers like to see the social skills you have picked up along the way. During my time at university I was president of the Geography Society for a year, a Geography Course Representative and also was in a cheerleading team, and I believe this not only helped within interviews but has also helped me within my job, through using the skills to work well within a team.

2. Join LinkedIn and expand on your profile. LinkedIn is such a great app for finding jobs. Try and follow the companies you would like to work for and look out for vacancies.

3. Look for opportunities for internships or volunteering. This is a great opportunity to help expand your experiences and to build your CV.