Profile
Philippa Jefferis
Thanks to everyone for all their great questions, I have really enjoyed speaking to you all. Well done to Neil :-)
Curriculum Vitae
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Work History:
I have lots of different jobs through various placements. Before I went to university, I took a year out and worked for an engineering consultancy firm helping with flood management design. I have then worked in drainage engineering for highways, as well as research work on railways. Civil engineering is so varied, I have been lucky to explore lots of interesting jobs within the my role.
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Current Job:
Business Improvement for Consulting Highways Design
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Employer:
Amey
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My Work
A civil engineer involved in keeping the roads of the UK safe for users
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Read more
I work for a company that is involved in maintaining and improving roads all across the UK. Amey manages nearly 50,000km of local highways across the UK on behalf of local authorities. Maintainaing roads, footways and cycleways. We also deliver traffic management, street lighting, cleansing and grounds maintenance services, as well as gritting roads and pavements and clearing them of ice and snow in winter.
As part of my graduate programme I have rotated around different parts of the business, getting experience in various aspects of engineering involved in the work Amey carries out.
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My Typical Day: I never have a “typical” day, there’s lots of fun and different challenges to face.
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Read more
I am currently working in a business improvement role within highways, which means I oversee a lot of different contracts and look at ways in which to improve them. I gained a lot of understanding of how contracts are managed while working in our Welsh Transport Technology Contract, helping to install technology across the road network to help improve safety and reliability. From this experience, I have now been able to get involved in other contracts and help make sure the work we deliver is to high standard, meeting both our client and the publics expectations. This work can range from health and safety requirements through to managing people. It is so varied, and I enjoy the variety as I learnt lots from taking on new challenges.
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What I'd do with the money
Help to develop a workshop for schools that focusses on the need for engineering to alleviate poverty.
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Read more
I volunteer for a charity “Engineers Without Borders” who have a number of activities for shools about Internation Development Engineering. I would use the money to help develop an another workshop, in keeping with the theme . Our workshops are aimed at young people ages 4-18 and are interactive, informative and great fun for all involved. We have a wide range of activites from building water filters to designing solar cars but there are always more activities that can be developed to inspire people into engineering, as well as showing them how important engineering is in alleviating poverty and improving lives dramatically.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic, outgoing, driven
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
Building a scale replica of the Kingsgate bridge in Durham. While at university, we had a week on site to build a replica bridge. It was so much fun to go from nothing, to a fully working bridge in just a week – a great sense of satisfaction
What did you want to be after you left school?
A civil engineer
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No, I was a real teacher’s pet. I love learning and finding out about things.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
A gardener – I love being outdoors, getting my hands grubby and then seeing your hard work come to life and grow
Who is your favourite singer or band?
The Wurzles
What's your favourite food?
Spaghetti bolognaise
What is the most fun thing you've done?
Sky diving was one of the biggest addrenalin rushes of my life – but then so was bungee jumping from the 3rd highest bungee, over a canyon.
Tell us a joke.
What cheese do you use to hide a horse? Mascapone.
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