We spoke to Harriet Bell, an MEng Civil Engineer graduate, about her experience studying civil engineering at university and what her career has looked like since graduating in 2023. During Harriet’s time at university, she completed various summer internships and received an award for her exceptional performance and dedication to civil engineering. Harriet now works as a Graduate Project Controls Engineer at bp, taking the industry by storm!

1) What made you want to pursue a career in engineering?

For me, it’s having the ability to work on major projects worldwide and see how they positively impact societies and people’s everyday lives. I have always been interested in how the built environment is constructed and the planning and design that goes into it. Being an ambitious individual, the career prospects and opportunities that come with engineering really excite me and motivate me for the future.

2) What do you most enjoy about your current role?

I enjoy working with lots of people in various roles from different career backgrounds, for example, health and safety, environmental teams, construction, and project management. Engaging with different people is super interesting, you are always learning new skills and no day is the same! Having the opportunity to travel aboard, visit construction sites and work with diverse teams is great. I get the best of both worlds working in the office but also getting out and about on site.

3) What helped you to secure a role after university and to get to where you are now?

I completed various summer internships, working onsite as a site engineer. I gained insight into how things are built and got involved in the construction process and saw how the theory I was learning at university applied to real life projects.

4) Reflecting on your degree, how has it prepared you for your career?

Studying Civil Engineering at university gave me the chance to research relevant topics, for example, my dissertation was on the flooding of the London underground. I found in interviews, it was useful to talk about my research, giving me something that I am highly knowledgeable about to refer to. We did a lot of group work at university; this is a critical skill for the workplace as you will find yourself working in diverse teams with varying skills and knowledge. University gave me a strong foundation for technical knowledge and theory.

My course allowed me to perfect my presentation skills, being able to communicate ideas and designs effectively and practicing explaining complex engineering terms and using them appropriately in coursework and assignments, this has supported me with presenting at work and explaining my ideas to colleagues and various teams. I also gained experience with various engineering software such as CAD, covered coding and worked in the labs doing activities like concrete design. My degree ensured I was going into my career being up to date with the latest technology and tools.

5) What advice would you give to women considering a career in engineering and why do you think it is important for women to pursue careers in engineering?

Go for it! Being an engineer is such a rewarding job, especially as a female engineer. Due to the gender imbalance in STEM, you have the chance to be a trailblazer and bring different perspectives to teams and workplaces that are valued by employers, so don’t let it put you off!

I think it is important we have more women in engineering, diverse teams produce better results. The more women who study engineering and pursue a career in it, the more likely it is to inspire other women and influence change in the industry.

6) Any advice for those thinking of studying Civil Engineering at university?

Try and get involved with as much as you can on your course, university is great for building your knowledge and gaining transferable skills. It gave me the foundation and understanding of all things engineering that I needed to enter the industry, from math and physics to project management skills.