Graduate Development Programme 2021

At WSP, there’s nothing we love more than pushing boundaries. Harnessing innovation and sharing insights across our diverse, international team to create a tomorrow’s world that's cleaner, greener and safer. Join us and you’ll be part of an organisation that takes pride in its people and purpose: creating long-lasting solutions to meet the needs of generations to come.

Who we are and what we do

Our work is serious, and serious fun. We create homes for penguins, help you get from A to B faster and safer, create inspiring places to live and work, and shape the skylines of our cities. We value our people and our reputation. Having a diverse and robust workforce enables us to look for answers, not problems, and we pride ourselves on offering clients clever, imaginative, future-facing solutions. If you are interested in finding ways to help society thrive, at home and further afield, an exciting career could be waiting for you here.

A typical week would include

We asked our graduates what it’s like to do their job. On a day to day basis, the life of a graduate at WSP starts off in the morning with cups of tea or coffee and responding to any urgent client emails. Beyond that, anything could happen! You could be involved in report writing, modelling or design calculations in 3D software packages.

Your day could also involve visiting site and liaising with contractors, discussing options for concept designs with colleagues, responding to client requests for information or meetings with the team about the scope and progress of projects. Naturally, there is a lot to learn and you are likely to be guided through complex software packages, team briefings and client updates from the start

What you'll need

• You’ll be graduating in 2021 or have recently graduated with at least a 2:1 in a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject (see below for more information)
• You'll be looking to start work in Autumn 2021
• You’ll ideally have less than two years relevant experience
• You’ll be passionate with the curiosity and creativity to solve problems
• You’ll want to stretch and inspire us, speaking up about any new ideas you have
• You’ll want to throw yourself in from day one and put your studies into practice
• You’ll have excellent communication skills
• You’ll enjoy working in a team environment, sharing ideas and collaborating with colleagues
• You’ll have confidence to work under pressure with the ability to prioritise and plan effectively

If you don't spot your degree background below please do check our website for other opportunities that may be of interest.

Please note game based assessment results for graduate roles at WSP are valid for a period of 12 months. If you have completed an assessment in the past 12 months and were unsuccessful we are unable to consider your application for this role.

Areas you can join

If you have a Civil Engineering degree, you could work as part of our Infrastructure and Drainage, Transport Planning, Highways, Water, or Civil, Bridge and Ground teams. 

If you have a Structural Engineering Degree, you could join our experienced Building Structures or Bridges teams

If you have a Bridge Engineering degree, you could join our Bridges teams who are working on projects such as High Speed 2

If you have a Geotechnical degree, you could join our Building Structures or Civil, Bridge and Ground teams, who have been in involved in projects such as The Shard and the 6km tunnel under Stockholm City.

If you have an Electrical or Power Engineering degree, you could find a good use for your skills in our Building Services, Energy, Intelligent Transport Systems and Rail disciplines. These teams work on projects such as Smart Motorways, High Speed 2 and the National Grid Distribution Framework.

If you have a Mechanical Engineering degree, you could find a good use for your skills in our Building Services, Energy, Industry, ITS and Rail disciplines. These teams provide opportunities to work on projects such as Rail Stations, High Speed 2 and the National Grid Distribution Framework.

If you have a Building Services degree, you could be joining our teams working on projects like the Mall of Egypt (featuring an indoor snow park).

If you have a Transport or Town Planning degree, you could join our Transport or Town Planning teams working with our clients to make the right choices for their needs, finding effective and sustainable strategies that improve quality of life.

If you have a Quantity or Building Surveying Degree, your skills will be useful across our Project and Commercial Services teams. You will get involved in contract management, cost and commercial management, planning and risk analysis for projects such as Gatwick Airport and Crossrail.

If you have a Maths or Geography degree you could work in our Transport Planning and Modelling or Intelligent Transport Systems team. They work on projects such as HS2, the pan-Northern transport policy, Sizewell C powerplant and many more.

If you have a degree in Environmental Impact Assessment you join our specialist EIA team, please note we are not recruiting into any other Environmental discipline in 2021.

We also have opportunities available for those with specialist backgrounds in Fire Engineering, Hydrology, Human Factors, Systems Engineering or Telecommunications and we would love to hear from you if you have any of these degrees. There are a variety of opportunities available at WSP to suit these specialist skills. 

What you’ll learn

We care about individuals and their progress and offer the most fulfilling career development for our professionals. Professional accreditation is an important milestone to reach. After years of study in your field and hard work on the job, you’ll want the recognition that you are at the top of your game. Our two-year graduate development programme will support you to achieve your goals.

We have established relationships with professional institutions including ICE, IStructE, IET, CIBSE, CIHT, CILT, IMechE, IChemE, TPS, CIWEM, RICS, GSL, RTPI, or APM and we’ll provide a technical mentor to help you on your journey, and reward you for your efforts as well (when you reach certain professional milestones you’ll even get a bonus as a thank you and well done for your hard work). We are also able to support professional development with many other approved professional institutions.

The structured programme includes but is not limited to training in:

• Technical report writing
• Team specific technical skills
• Project management (introduction and advanced)
• Influential communications
• Commercial concepts
• WSP Team Building Event
• Continuous Improvement
• Our Culture

About Us

We have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects and maximizes the contribution individuals can bring to WSP. We recognise the benefits that people with varying backgrounds and experiences can bring. Our VIBE (LGBT + employee network) and PLEDGE (Promoting Leadership, Encouraging Diversity & Gender Equality) networks help ensure we continue to promote the right environment to enable LGBT+ and female employees to reach their full potential, and to ensure we continue to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

We also offer our Professional Growth Network (PGN) which is a networking group run by early career professionals for early career professionals. It helps to grow your network of contacts across the UK business as well as providing you with opportunities for extra experience to support you in achieving chartered status or other professional accreditation.

What’s in it for you

Finally, we have a comprehensive wider benefits package which includes:

• Professional Development Bonus to recognise attainment of professional statuses
• 2 paid days a year to be used for volunteering activities
• Cheaper gym memberships and Tastecards
• Discounts and offers with a variety of high street retailers through our Treats programme
• A standard 25 day annual leave allowance plus Bank Holidays and the flexibility to buy and sell annual leave
• The Cycle to Work Scheme (which entitles you to a tax free bike)
• The option to purchase additional benefits such as dental care, personal accident cover, holiday or life insurance at reduced rates
• Reduced rates on gadget insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme – EAP offers you free access to specialist advice in areas such as legal, financial, personal and family matters including bereavement and counselling services.

How long does the process take? You'll receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application within 48 hours of submission. We work hard to match you to the most suitable roles in our business and the recruitment process can vary depending on the role and team you are matched to. Most applications complete initial assessments and are progressed to the next stage within 2-3 months but it’s good to know that the whole process can last up to 6 months in total if you're an early applicant. We will aim to keep you informed throughout the time that your application is being considered however, due to the volume of applications received, we are not able to respond to individual requests for status updates.