Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

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• Graduate Leadership Development Scheme 2010

Going Places

In this section you can read about the experiences and opinions of some graduates who are now on (or have been through) the Highways Agency Graduate Development Scheme.

Meghann Downing

Generalist Scheme
B.A Combined Arts (Spanish, Ancient History and Theology)
Durham University

In my second year I was invited to work on the Camborne College Travel Plan. This was a large plan which involved 10,000 college students in Cornwall. The plan was to encourage students to travel to college via a method more sustainable to the environment. Thanks to our involvement, the College put in place a range of measures to encourage people not to drive. Ironic that the Highways Agency should try and get people not to drive? It makes sense if you think about it, shows how we're thinking a little differently to contributing towards improving transport across England.

Throughout the course of the scheme I have been able to direct my own learning and experience, which may sound vague but basically means that you get involved in what you want to do, when you want to do it. It gave me the ability to take charge of my own career.

Alex Knapp

Generalist Scheme
M.A History
University of the West of England

Following my masters, I worked for 4 years before joining the Highways Agency as a Traffic Officer. All of this work experience helped me to secure a place on the graduate leadership development scheme.

On the placements, I filled a variety of different roles where I was required to deliver quality, often innovative work within short timescales; as Network Access Manager I reviewed diversion options and alternatives in the South West - one of which was a significant new traffic management strategy which seperates large lorries from Severn Bridge traffic during high wind speeds - this has since been adopted; as  Travel Plan Manager I helped deliver a complete cultural shift in the way employees at one of the South West's largest business parks travelled to work. The amount of support offered on the scheme was impressive and the contacts I have developed through the placements have been a useful support network.

Since finishing the scheme, I have gained promotion and am now Lead Coach for the Traffic Officer Service. Following their foundation programme, our 1000 or so Traffic Officers each have coaching to ensure that safe working practices and standards are maintained. I am responsible for delivering national change and improved efficiency to this coaching process.

Matt Sweeting

Engineering Scheme
BEng (Hons),Civil Engineering,
Liverpool John Moores University

Over the past few years I've had a variety of interesting jobs at the Highways Agency. I'm currently responsible for the routine maintenance, improvement and operation of the Highways Agency's network in the North West of England, managing three teams and an annual budget of over £140 million.

After graduating, my initial goal was to become a Chartered Civil Engineer as soon as possible. The Highways Agency allowed me to work on secondment for a consultant and contractor while following a structured training scheme. I was assigned two very experienced mentors who steered me to achieving my goal in just over three years. Since then I've been supported to completing a work-related MBA with Bradford Business School.

The Highways Agency continues to provide me with new and exciting challenges that support my career development and maintain motivation. Our next big challenge is to further cement our role as a network operator by introducing more technology to reduce congestion and improve safety and journey time reliability.

Louise Caudwell

Engineering scheme
BEng University of Leeds

I am currently one of the Agency's 'Pavement Specialists' which means that, amongst other things, I am responsible for setting standards and managing contracts to monitor the condition of the road surface. I also manage a variety of interesting research projects related to the road pavement and materials

I work from home but do a fair bit of travelling to meet with engineering consultants and contractors. I work with our Managing Agents across the country evaluating and approving road maintenance schemes to ensure they are technically sound and will deliver value for money.

The technical knowledge and hands on experience that I got during my placements with our contracting partners still stands me in good stead for this management role. It means I have a genuine understanding of how contractors work, the skills required within projects and the standards that should be achieved.

Alongside developing my engineering career, I have a young family which is soon due to expand! The Agency is a great place to work for parents - I took a year off with my first child and find the flexible working options a real help in managing my work life balance.

Shifeek Hussain

Engineering scheme
BEng Loughborough University

I am now a senior manager in Procurement, leading the team that delivers projects costing 10 million pounds or more.

My route to senior management is built on foundations laid through the graduate scheme. I am still using the knowledge I gained as I worked towards chartership as well as the hands on design & construction skills I got on the 18 month placement with a leading consultant and contractor. The leadership and project management skills I developed over the scheme have also proved invaluable as my career has progressed.

At first glance it might seem odd that as an engineer I am in procurement but actually I am using my technical skills all the time. I use my civil engineering expertise in deciding the level of technical innovation needed in each project, the degree of risk involved and in specifying what knowledge and skills the contracting partner needs to have to be able to deliver.

It's taken three promotions to get to senior management level. Each job has involved increasing responsibility and a range of challenges from chairing meetings with stakeholders such as the police and local authorities to agree traffic management and diversion routes as well as publicity,  to leading a team of consultants and contractors on a high priority 160 million pound widening scheme. No two days are ever the same!

Tom Hill

BA (Hons) Economics
Sheffield University

I was originally attracted to the Highways Agency because of the opportunity to try different areas within a large business. And this is definitely something I've experienced. I originally worked in HR and then in supply chain management within procurement. Here I was involved in high-level projects from the start. I was given the chance to develop a methodology and overall selection process, which has now become the standard within government procurement. I gained a rounded experience of the Highways Agency and am now pursuing my career in procurement, and have responsibility for the overall selection process.

The graduate scheme gave me a huge advantage. I had a superb mentor who helped me make key decisions at critical points in my development. It was structured, but I was allowed to work independently and was encouraged to be driven. I was also able to take part in action learning groups, one of which produced the drugs and alcohol policy for traffic officers.

Clare Griffin

BA (Hons) Philosophy and Sociology
Birmingham University

In my time at the Highways Agency I've worked on several projects, including measuring and improving network information, improving safety on the roads and working on the informed traveller initiative.

What really appealed to me about the Highways Agency is the support and the structure of the scheme, but also the freedom to really take control of your own learning. This has meant that from an early stage I've been able to take a lead on projects, whether working with a partner or by myself.

The buddying system has been invaluable - there's a support group with people who have recently been through the graduate scheme. At the same time the mentoring is fantastic. You always have an independent expert who can advise on the work you're doing and help your networking to ensure you're able to choose the best placements for your development. All the teams I've worked on have been keen to give guidance when I needed it and let me find my own feet when it was appropriate.

Kelson Dos Santos

BEng (Hons) Electronics and Electrical Engineering
London South Bank University

What really stood out for me about the Highways Agency was the opportunity to get involved with large infrastructure projects and get exposure to other elements of engineering, like Civil. It's also great to know that you're having a positive impact on people in their everyday lives by helping them visit family or get to work on time.

I'm really keen to get chartership and the scheme here will help me towards that goal. I want to get involved in projects as soon as possible and although I've only been here for a few weeks I'm already an assistant project sponsor in traffic technology, which is a huge opportunity for me. The buddying scheme means that I get support from people who are in a similar position to me and the mentoring enables me to sense check my work, and my future decisions, with an industry expert.