National Highways

I worked on the net zero highways carbon roadmap for steel. This was a high level reporting piece about how National Highways could expect their carbon reductions in steel to decrease. I created an Excel spreadsheet that calculated the carbon reductions in steel from 2020-2050 by researching the steel industry’s published roadmaps. I worked closely with the Carbon Team, presented findings to National Highways members and wrote a knowledge pack with technical note. We managed to get a 70% reduction in steel carbon emissions.

What did I do?

In my placement I worked as a Bridge Engineer in the head office in Croydon as part of the wider Transport division. I had the opportunity to work with other teams around the UK and go on site visits on occasion. Volunteering opportunities – Bridges4Schools This was an education outreach programme where I went to primary schools to carry out STEM training to Year 4-6 pupils, presenting a day in the life of a civil engineer. The pupils then built a 13m cable stayed bridge under my supervision and also completed a k’nex bridge construction activity.

Sustainability initiative

I was part of a sustainability initiative in which I was in charge or completing carbon calculations for multiple bridges. I also contributed to writing a published report for Net Zero Bridge Group which can be found online. For my placement year, I was responsible for communicating sustainable actions in work projects to the whole Bridge Team.

Soft skills developed

My soft skills developed throughout my placement year. My communication skills show the biggest improvement. I regularly presented to clients and colleagues and led demonstrations to school pupils. I also had to communicate with colleagues in and outside of my project team. My problem solving definitely improved as I have been exposed to projects that require different engineering solutions. Working in project teams required me to be able to manage and organise my time effectively.

Technical skills developed

My engineering knowledge and application of principles has significantly improved during the year. I now feel that I am competent at AutoCAD and can produce a set of design calculations. I developed my ability to use:

• PDF-XChange Editor
• PowerPoint
• Excel
• AutoCAD
• Mathcad