A CAREER IN ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
Author: Elizabeth Withington BSc MSc FGS Senior Manager Geotechnical Engineering Limited
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Why a career as an engineering geologist?
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3 Opportunities, it’s a growth sector:
• Road sector: managed motorways; M4 Newport • Rail sector: HS2, Crossrail, CP5 • Utilities: • Renewable Energy: Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon • Nuclear Energy: Hinckley Nuclear Power Station • Water Supply: Wessex Water £230 mil grid • Commercial: Manchester First Street
4 Variety:
• Engineering geology • Earthworks • Foundation design • Slope stability • Earth retaining structures, embankments, dams, tunnelling • Ground improvements • Contaminated land • Earthquake engineering
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Most graduates working in the sector are employed by either:
• Site Investigation Contractors • Consulting Engineers • Main Contractors • Associated with research institutions
6 SITE INVESTIGATION CONTRACTORS • Geotechnical Engineering Limited • Geotechnics Limited • Fugro Engineering Services • Soil Engineering (Vinci) • ESG (Soil Mechanics) • Structural Soils (RSK ENSR) • BAM Ritchies • Raeburn Drilling
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CONSULTING ENGINEERS • Atkins • Arup • Arcadis • Mott MacDonalds • Balfour Beatty (Parsons Brinckerhoff) • Pell Frischmann • Coffey Geotechnics • Tony Gee and Partners
8 MAIN CONTRACTORS: • AMEY • Mace • Costain • Balfour Beatty • Kier • Skanska • Carillion
9 USEFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
• The Geological Society of London • The British Geotechnical Association • AGS • CIRIA • ICE - Ground Engineering • LinkedIn • HSE
10 So when you start your career what do you do?
Your first few days: • Induction • Health and safety training • Start your training program
11 Your first few years:
• On site • Walkover surveys • Desk studies • Supervision • Logging to Eurocode 7 • Site measurement • Progress meetings • Compliance • Training
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After your first few years, you may decide:
• On a technical route • To become a project manager • To specialise in commercial activities
13 Market sectors you can work in:
• Roads
14 Market sectors you can work in
• Rail
15 Market sectors you can work in
• Utilities:
16 Market sectors you can work in
• Contaminated land
17 Elizabeth Withington
BSc (Hons) Earth Science MSc Foundation Engineering FGS
18 MY CAREER: • Geotechnical Engineer - Ground Investigation Contractor • Senior Geotechnical Engineer - Land Reclamation Consultant • Senior Geotechnical Engineer - Local Authority • Senior Geotechnical Engineer - Ground Investigation Contractor • Operations Engineering Manager
19 YOUR FUTURE:
• Join societies and go on field trips • NETWORK!!! • Join Linked In and build your profile • Develop your CV. Focus on fieldwork activities, team building & communication at this stage • Get as much work experience as you can
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GOOD LUCK!!!
21 QUESTIONS?
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