“An important aspect of working at Gifford is that they listen to staff.”

Full name:  Rob Vivian
Age:  24
Job Title:   Graduate Engineer
University Attended:  University of Surrey
Degree Obtained:  MEng Civil Engineering

I first joined Gifford for a placement year working in the Southampton office between my second and third years at university.  The following summer I returned for a summer placement before taking up a permanent post in June 2006 as a Graduate Engineer in Gifford’s Bridge section.

What attracted you to working for Gifford?

During my placements I worked on some interesting projects including the M25 J12-15  Widening project.   I gained an enormous amount from these placements, which provided valuable experience.  I wanted to return to Gifford as I believed there was a real opportunity to develop and work on interesting projects.  The working atmosphere is fantastic and the people I get to work with is one of main reasons I chose Gifford.

Since returning to Gifford on a permanent basis I have worked on a wide range of interesting and unusual projects including the award winning Teardrop Junction Improvement near Havant.  I have also been involved with the design of bat bridges for a project in Wales. 

An important aspect of working at Gifford is that they listen to staff.  Within my section all staff are invited to contribute to the group business plan and I have also been involved in a debate day on how to attract and recruit new graduates.

What do you do in a typical day?

The work I am involved with has been varied as I can be working on a number of aspects of a project at the same time.  Communication is key to my job, whether discussing ideas with a project manager or technical director, to liaising with technicians to translate my design sketches into a full set of drawings.  My work ranges from preliminary and detailed design, and has also included bridge inspection work and report writing.

What training opportunities have you had at Gifford?

I am signed up to an ICE training scheme and Gifford arrange a number of seminars at the office that allow me to build up CPD and learn about other interesting projects that Gifford has been involved with.  Graduates are encouraged to manage their own training and actively seek out opportunities for their own development.

My main aim at the moment is to become chartered and believe that I will be given the relevant experience to achieve this within the company and will have opportunities to take site posts either with Gifford or through a secondment.