51视频

Samantha鈥檚 interest in civil engineering began while she was still at school. Although she knew little about the profession when she signed up for a Foundation Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering, the subject appealed to her natural interest in how things are built and her aptitude for maths. 

She said:

I had always been interested in how things are built and made, and maths was one of my favourite subjects at school. The more I learned through the apprenticeship, the more I realised it was something I could see myself doing as a career.

After completing the two-year apprenticeship, Samantha moved on to college to study Civil Engineering. During her first year, she applied to become an Associate Student at 51视频, giving her a guaranteed route into the third year of the University鈥檚 Civil Engineering degree once she completed her HND.听

Looking back, she credits college with providing a supportive environment that helped ease her transition into higher education. By the time she arrived at 51视频, she already had a solid grounding in many of the core subjects on the course and felt well prepared academically.听

Although the academic side of university challenged her to grow, it was the people and opportunities that defined her experience.听

She said:

I never thought I would end up at university because I really didn鈥檛 enjoy school, but my experience at 51视频 has been completely different.

The close-knit nature of the course helped Samantha build strong friendships and created a supportive learning environment throughout her studies. She also enjoyed the practical elements of the programme, particularly the field trips and site visits that brought classroom learning to life and provided a deeper understanding of how engineering principles are applied in real-world projects.听

Alongside her studies, Samantha gained valuable industry experience through placements with global engineering firm WSP. The experience gave her the opportunity to apply the theory she had learned in lectures to real projects, develop professional skills and gain a much clearer understanding of how engineering teams听operate听in practice.听

Working alongside experienced engineers not only helped strengthen her technical knowledge and confidence but also gave her greater clarity about the direction she wanted her career to take. Seeing first-hand the variety of roles and disciplines within civil engineering allowed her to听identify听the areas that interested her most and picture herself working in the industry after graduation.听

The placements proved transformative, eventually leading to both a scholarship and a graduate role offer with WSP.听

She said:

To be honest, I was shocked when I was first offered a placement with WSP. They were my first-choice company and the first interview I attended, so I couldn鈥檛 believe it when I received the offer.

After graduation, Samantha will join WSP鈥檚 Highways team as a graduate engineer, working on consultancy projects involving highway and junction improvements across the UK. She is particularly excited by the variety the role offers and the opportunity to continue developing her skills while working on projects that help shape transport infrastructure.听