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    1. Home
    2. Industrial Placements
    3. Engineering, Energy & Infrastructure
    4. Mechanical and Electrical Placement 2024
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    Wessex Water is offering a unique opportunity for undergraduate engineering students who are looking for an industrial placement year. You will be part of a team delivering multi-million pound engineering projects that will have a positive impact on society and the environment.

    Our well-established Mechanical and Electrical placement student programme has grown year-on-year, and is supported by our graduate engineers and former placement students so that you make the very best out of your year with us.

    What will you be doing

    Wessex Water is one of the top-performing water and sewerage companies in the UK, serving 2.8 million customers across the south-west of England. It is part of the Wessex Water Group, which comprises a number of other companies alongside our regulated business, including engineering and construction, property development and waste management and renewable energy services.

    We are one of the few water companies with our own internal design and construction capability that is used at different stages of construction from feasibility through to commissioning. This capability means Wessex Water has a large workforce with a range of experience encompassing all aspects of engineering.

    You will have the opportunity to work as a Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Engineering Placement Student within the Sustainable Operations and Engineering arm of Wessex Water. The role can involve tasks as varied as carrying out pump surveys to ensure sites run efficiently, procurement of key items, project planning, commercial activities and much more. You will attend design meetings to learn about the design and construction process, inputting your ideas to help achieve our goals. You will also take part in various on-site activities with advice and guidance from senior and experienced Engineers.

    As a Placement Student you will be part of our team delivering innovative water and wastewater treatment projects across the Wessex region, as well as working with engineers across all disciplines. You will get the opportunity to gain real management and commercial experience as well as access to professional technical qualifications within defined programmes that are accredited by professional engineering institutions, such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

    During your placement year, you will be encouraged to engage with the Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS) during which you will be mentored by a professional engineer, with your placement year counting towards future applications for Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered (CEng) Engineer status.

    You will experience the variety of challenges and tasks that come with engineering and construction and will be expected to work alongside colleagues in both an office and construction site setting. The role is varied with no two days being the same, and will run from July 2024 until August 2025.

    What are the requirements

    • You must be currently undertaking an undergraduate mechanical or electrical engineering degree.
    • We are looking for hard-working, punctual students who have a genuine interest in engineering and in particular the water industry.

    We expect you to

    • Embrace Wessex Water’s company ethos and BEST (Behaviour, Excellence, Service and Teamwork) values,
    • Be flexible, know how to connect with others and pride yourself on being proactive and bringing positive, bright ideas to the team,
    • Feel comfortable taking responsibility for tasks and projects you’ve been assigned,
    • Be able to manage your own time and adapt to change,
    • Be driven to succeed, aspire to excellence and think outside the box.

    This role will involve travelling around the Wessex region, so possession of a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential. Mileage will be reimbursed at the HMRC-set rates.

    Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend a one-hour interview, focussing on your engineering interests, experiences to date, aims for a placement year, and time for you to ask current placement students any questions you might have. You may be called back for a further interview.

    What will you get from us

    Our people tell us Wessex Water is a great place to work, and they stay with us! We are proud of how we support development and career progression. We have a wealth of both financial and non-financial benefits to offer our people and are committed to ensuring we provide an environment that supports health and wellbeing and flexible working.

    We continue to promote diversity and inclusion. With that in mind, we welcome all applicants.