Mark Dewson – BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering graduate

“Plymouth is an excellent place to live and to study, and although it is a very big city it has a very local feel. Studying at Plymouth University gave me a focus on life and a possible career after college, whilst inculcating a professional approach to work.”

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

Following graduation I went to Singapore as a Project Engineer for a contracting company. I was responsible for the checking and management of the concrete frames for eleven 16 storey residential apartment blocks. When the contract ended, I returned to the UK as a graduate engineer for a small consultancy firm. I was soon promoted to engineer and pursued my goal to become Chartered. I left this company and then worked for Gifford Consulting Engineers in the Highways and Transportation Department. I gained Chartered Civil Engineering Status in 2003 and I am now a director involved in aviation civil engineering projects across the globe.

Has your career path changed since graduation?

It has but it has always been related to civil engineering. Where I now work, as director of Ramboll, a large multidisciplinary engineering consultancy, I deal predominantly with highway and aviation infrastructure design.

What is the best, most exciting or fun thing that you have done in your career?

The best part of my work is the travelling, but also working on a large number of varied projects – from race circuits to new airports.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to get in to the same line of work?

Travel and challenge yourself to get the most out of your job and always keep asking questions! Engineering students are always considered the 'workers' amongst the campus fraternity. This is not a bad thing: if you put the hard work in now, you will be rewarded with a career that can take you wherever you want to go and there is always work for those who can stand above the rest.

How did studying at Plymouth help you?

I chose civil engineering as I always enjoyed a challenge and wanted to do a technical job whilst still working in the great outdoors. I have not been disappointed. Plymouth is an excellent place to live and to study, and although it is a very big city it has a very local feel. Studying at Plymouth University gave me a focus on life and a possible career after college, whilst inculcating a professional approach to work.

Would you recommend undertaking a course with Plymouth University, and why?

Yes, because there are great facilities and lecturers, it is situated in a great location, and there are good social activities. I met my closest friends at Plymouth, gained a second to none higher education in engineering that is highly revered in industry, and have fond memories of an excellent time. The staff and graduates have a very professional outlook on life and this has proved to be a good grounding, in particular their affiliation with the ICE.