Student engineers’ development programme thriving

Student engineers’ development programme thriving

Graduate engineers have an outstanding opportunity to gain first-class experience in three diverse engineering disciplines with a joint industry initiative.

The New Grad programme, a collaborative venture between Fulton Hogan, GHD and Manukau City Council, offers civil engineering graduates a three year development programme exposing them to a wide range of engineering activity.

The programme began two years ago and has been regarded as an outstanding success by both the three participant organisations and the graduate students. It is open to graduates who have completed a civil engineering degree or those students who are about to do so.

Graduates spend a year at each of the organisations on a development programme designed to expand their knowledge of the local government, contracting and consultancy industries.

Practical, hands-on work is designed to maximise the student’s civil engineering knowledge and skills. At the end of the programme, the candidate will have the opportunity to choose to work for one of the three organisations.

Importantly, the programme ensures graduates cover each of the required IPENZ competencies to help fast-track their membership and certification.

James Weller, who started the programme last year, says his first year with Fulton Hogan was great and he was involved with a great variety of work, on-site and in the office.

When a manager resigned he took over aspects of management which exposed him to financial, HR and the day-to-day general management side of civil engineering.

With Manukau City, James says, there is a different culture and type of work which requires thinking of wider implications of decisions on both the Council and Manukau City area generally, other than just the client.

“I believe the range of work experiences I’ve had already with the contracting industry and with Council would be hard to find any other work situation for a graduate engineer,” says James.

“Project New Grad has exceeded my expectations in every aspect.”

James Hart says although he has just started the programme, he is regularly surprised at the range and diversity of engineering work he is involved in at Council.

“The programme is providing me with great, hands-on, practical experience which I may not get solely with one of the bigger engineering consultancy companies,” says James.

Nick James, who is with Fulton Hogan after having had a year with GHD, says the New Grad programme is an ideal way to gain quality experience in all three aspects of civil engineering.

“It’s a perfect opportunity for networking, gaining excellent contacts and making the most of the variety of work that our industry has to offer” says Nick.

“It’s also good to see how a project progresses from looking at it form the other side of the fence and to reflect on how the contractor would have viewed me while working as a consultant.”

Applications for the New Grad programme should be made to:

Katarina Komene
GHD Limited
09 2611 473
0274 293 464
katarina.komene@ghd.co.nz

Applications close on 2nd June 2006

ENDS

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