Make a difference and forge your graduate career with WSP

WSP graduates enjoy pushing boundaries, harnessing ideas and sharing insights across the company's diverse international team to create a world that's cleaner, greener and safer.

Be yourself, create the future

WSP graduates are changemakers in the fight against climate change and they help influence policy, engage communities, and think 'net zero first'. They play an important role in helping shape the communities of tomorrow and in supporting society to thrive.

Join WSP as a graduate and be part of the extraordinary team.

Start your career at WSP and make the extraordinary everyday

Graduate

On a day-to-day basis, the life of a WSP graduate generally starts in the morning with cups of tea or coffee and responding to any urgent client emails. Beyond that anything can happen - getting involved in report writing, modelling, or design calculations in 3D software packages.

A WSP graduate's day might also involve visiting sites and liaising with contractors, discussing options for concept designs with colleagues, responding to client requests for information or meetings with teams about the scope and progress of projects. Naturally, there is much to learn so graduates are guided through complex software packages, team briefings and client updates right from the start.

What's needed

WSP graduates possess the following:

ideally less than two years relevant experience
a passion, curiosity and creativity to solve problems
a desire to stretch and inspire others, speaking up about any new ideas
a desire to throw themselves in from day one and put studies into practice
excellent communication skills
enjoy working in a team environment, sharing ideas and collaborating with colleagues
confidence to work under pressure with the ability to prioritise and plan effectively

Fulfilling career development for graduates

WSP cares about its graduates and their progress and offers fulfilling career development. Professional accreditation is an important milestone to reach. After years of study in one's field and hard work on the job, graduates seek the recognition that they are at the top of their game. WSP's two-year graduate development programme provides significant support to achieve graduate goals.

WSP has established relationships with professional institutions including ICE, IStructE, The IET, CIBSE, CIHT, CILT, IMechE, IChemE, TPS, CIWEM, RICS, GSL, RTPI, and APM. WSP also supports professional development via many further approved professional institutions.

Graduates receive a technical mentor to help them on their journey and reward them for their efforts as well. And, when graduates reach certain professional milestones, they even receive a thank you bonus in recognition of their hard work.

What to expect

WSP's structured graduate programme includes but is not limited to training in:

Technical report writing
Team specific technical skills
Project management (introduction and advanced)
Influential communications
Commercial concepts
WSP Team Building Event
Continuous Improvement

WSP has provided some useful information on how to prepare for its graduate assessment centres and how to make a graduate application stand out.

Accessing continuous training and development opportunities

engineer

Mandy van Zaanen MSc is a WSP Graduate Structural Engineer.

"As I entered the office on my first day it felt like coming back home but I soon realised this was the beginning of a new stage in my life. Entering the world of work, I thought I’d be met with hard work 24/7 but I have discovered that this isn’t necessarily true," she explains. "Of course, you expect to always work hard and aim to exceed expectations but there are opportunities to have fun and build strong relationships with colleagues outside of the office."

At the start of her work with WSP, she was commenced by lucky having her own project - a retail park that needed to be developed. "This meant I’ve been able to familiarise myself with architects drawings, client briefs and site investigations at an early stage in my career. We have now completed the conceptual design for this project and the aim for me is to be involved throughout the rest of the design process, so that I can experience a project from conception to completion. It’s an amazing feeling to know that one day I will visit this project when it has been completed, knowing that I have contributed to its success," she adds.

Mandy is proud to be part of a company that works on major UK and global projects. On top of my day to day responsibilities, as a graduate she gets to enjoy all sorts of introduction events to understand the company. "In addition to the WSP graduate induction, the scheme includes continuous training and development opportunities that are discipline specific. Through these events, I get to meet other graduates doing the same type of work as me and can further improve my technical skills and knowledge. I may have stopped my formal education at university but the graduate scheme at WSP means I am able to continue learning," says Mandy.

Work-life balance is important to Mandy and she enjoys regular football and climbing evenings, socials and weekend trips that help her build relationships with colleagues from all levels and disciplines.

Working on demanding and complex projects

graduates

Najwa Jawahar is a Senior Structural Engineer at WSP who named the Best Young Woman Engineer in the European Women in Construction Awards.

Najwa undertook an MEng degree in Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Leeds. After graduating, she joined WSP and the company supported her to achieve professional qualifications through the Institute of Structural Engineering to gain chartership status. Najwa started her WSP career as a graduate in London and Leeds but is now based in Manchester co-leading the design and delivery of high-profile residential and commercial building projects around the world.

Najwa has been involved in several exciting projects including highlights such as the £250 million London Wall Place commercial development, the New Providence Wharf - a 42-storey crescent-shaped residential tower in London's Docklands, and further exciting projects.

One of her favourite projects was Key Bridge House where she co-led the delivery of this 74,300m2 development, which is comprised of five buildings up to 38 storeys high. Constructed on top of a three-storey basement, this project is both the largest refurbishment job in London and houses the tallest brick-clad tower in the UK.

"WSP has given me the chance to work on demanding and complex projects, which has really motivated me to apply myself and progress my career. I enjoy the challenge of working on high-profile residential and commercial buildings with leading architects and well-known clients – projects that test my technical ability," she explains. "Specialising in tall buildings design has given me the chance to leave behind a legacy by shaping part of those cities. It’s my opportunity to improve lives and influence future communities."

"I’ve had the chance to work on a range of internal projects. I initiated the Young Engineers' Network, which grew from four people initially to over 300 across the globe in two years. The network helped members fast-track their careers," she adds. "I also implemented a new graduate development framework at WSP and a TeamBuild competition as part of the firm’s graduate training – helping to improve multidisciplinary working. Last year I set up the Structures Café, a monthly workshop to promote knowledge-sharing, and joined Leeds University’s Industrial Advisory committee, which aims to bridge the gap between university education and the industry."

"I’d recommend WSP to anyone who wants to use their skills to make a difference and develop their career," says Najwa.