Joe, Graduate Environmental Consultant

Having completed an MSc in Environmental Technology at Imperial College London, I went straight into the new graduate program offered by Bureau Veritas in September 2006.  One of the big attractions of the programme for me had been the opportunity to work in a variety of different fields within the environmental sector, and in this I have not been disappointed: every working day has been different.

I began in the Environmental Management, Sustainability and Risk (EMS&R) department, where I worked on a number of projects.  These included supporting a pilot targeting waste crime with the Environmental Agency, and working on Corporate Social Responsibility with Legal and General, as well as writing articles on environmental issues for various publications.  Furthermore, I was fortunate enough to be heavily involved in a project assessing the work of the Carbon Trust, which involved working with individuals from all levels within Bureau Veritas and closely with the Carbon Trust itself, as well as extensive travel to private industrial clients around the country.

As graduates, we were rotated every three months, and as such I have now completed placements in three further fields: Air Quality, Flood Risk and Development, and Noise and Vibration.  As a result, I have worked on everything from the Sustainability Appraisal of the new London Air Quality Strategy, to Flood Risk Assessments of proposed developments and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), and the impacts of noise pollution on wildlife.  I have also spent a lot of time out in the field, monitoring air quality, recording noise pollution, and even working on an RSPB reserve.

Having just completed my graduate year, I have gone straight into an assistant consultant role within my chosen business unit (EMS&R), where I have been given responsibility for co-ordinating an Environmental Management System that spans Europe, as well as joining the EIA team.

Bureau Veritas is careful to encourage the personal professional development of its graduates, and I have emerged from the programme as a well trained consultant, having made a good start towards Chartered status.  Furthermore, there is a lot of respect for the fresh thinking that young graduates can bring into an organisation or even an entire field, and as such I have been heavily involved in business development work for the company, giving me invaluable experience in the way private and public business works, on top of the experience of the environmental sector.

Simon, Graduate Environmental Consultant

I joined Bureau Veritas in September 2006. My first three months were spent working in London in their Air Quality team alongside both Senior and Principal Consultants. The Air Quality team does everything from contributing to Environmental Impact Assessments, to managing the UK monitoring network for ambient air quality. 
I had never experienced working in a professional environmental consultancy before, so starting out was a little nerve-racking. But, naturally, my colleagues were very welcoming, and it didn’t take long for me to settle down and feel like part of the team.
Because of the way the graduate programme is structured it has helped to make my daily activity very varied. I have done everything from building and running my own dispersion models, to trekking through large quarries or construction sites. I really enjoy the fact that one day I can be researching an entirely new project in the office, and the next I can be at the other end of the country visiting a client! The people we deal with are in real need of advice and are passionate about improving their mark on the environment. We are renowned in the industry for our commitment to delivering quality services to people and businesses, so it's really satisfying being able to help.
I have now started my second placement working for the Land and Water Quality team, which includes working alongside colleagues in the Flood Risk and Development team. I have only been here three weeks and already I have finished my first technical report. The learning curve is extremely steep in each department, but I enjoy this challenge, as well as independence and freedom colleagues give you with regard to the decisions you make about your work. As a result, I have been able to transfer a lot of the skills that I gained at University to the work I now do as a graduate environmental consultant. The most important being the ability to research, and recognise new concepts quickly, in order to meet our clients’ deadlines.
The graduate programme has provided me with a fantastic platform from which to experience the most fundamental aspects of work associated with top-end consultancies. From a personal perspective, it is unusual to be given such responsibility at this early stage in my career, but that just makes me all the more determined to succeed.  

Robert, Graduate Environmental Consultant

After graduating from the University of Manchester with a degree in Geography and Geology I wasn’t sure what my career path should be.  I was definitely interested in my degree, but there were so many aspects of geography that I hadn’t covered and was interested in exploring.  The graduate programme at Bureau Veritas offered just the right mix of new geographical concepts and topics covered in my university studies.  With four placements during the first year there is plenty of scope for exploring new aspects of geography.
I started off working in Industrial Emissions Measurement and was immediately thrust into a vibrant dynamic environment, with lots of work opportunities and therefore lots of opportunities to learn.  On a day to day basis I spent time calibrating equipment under the supervision of an experienced equipment manager, so I could learn the necessary skills for using the equipment when I was on a client’s site.  When out on site I was involved with the manual labour, but also in the running of equipment and measurement recording.  Having experienced consultants willing to help me learn how to record results and willing to let me have a go made me feel welcome on the team.
I am now working in Acoustics and Vibration where I am recovering knowledge from school days to help out with some of the physics and maths involved.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far and look forward to developing more skills to help lead Bureau Veritas into the future.