Meet Matthew, a Graduate GROW Instrumentation and Control Engineer at Arcadis

1. How would you best summarise your role at Arcadis?

At Arcadis in Cork, we work primarily with clients in the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland, as well as some international clients. We support clients on projects from early concept stage, right through to detailed design and client handover. 

My role primarily involves working with colleagues within the Electrical and Instrumentation (E&I) Department. I have had the opportunity to work on multiple projects so far, and have gained experience in developing instrument datasheets, creating instrument loop drawings and block wiring diagrams, creating instrument turnover packs for clients, developing instrument indexes, developing cable schedules, and so much more.

I constantly engage with colleagues within E&I as well as other departments to help with project coordination and ensure deliverables are met on-time and to client standards. I also engage with clients to address queries they may have, as well as product vendors to obtain quotes and relay client queries.

2. What aspects of your role do you enjoy most?

I find colleagues here to be extremely supportive and collaborative. It sounds like a cliché, but there truly is no such thing as a “stupid question” at Arcadis. Colleagues are always happy to help you and explain things to you when you ask. Arcadis is a great environment for me to learn and to develop my skills.

I also enjoy going on site visits and seeing the project in-person. Drawings and spreadsheets can only tell you so much, therefore being able to physically see the project is very insightful and has benefitted me greatly in visualising what work needs to be done.

Being on the Graduate GROW Programme has given me the opportunity to meet dozens of people at a similar stage in their career to me from all across Ireland and the UK. It has been great to be given opportunities to develop my professional network in this way.

3. What skills or behaviours do you think you need to be successful in role?

Effective communication skills are crucial not just at Arcadis, but in engineering as a whole. Being able to convey ideas, thoughts, and questions to both colleagues and clients is how you can make a difference within your team, and how you can best set yourself up for success.

Being proactive about your learning is very beneficial to your success at Arcadis. If you would like to learn more about something, you should communicate this to colleagues and see what learning resources are available. For example, my manager was recently able to sign me up for a course on the regulations around designing fire detection and alarm systems in Ireland to help me expand my knowledge in this area.

Flexibility is essential for this role. You could be asked to switch projects or make a site visit at a moment’s notice, or may have to support multiple projects covering very different areas. This dynamic of the role is great for those who enjoy a fast-paced and varied workload.

4. What support have you had to succeed in your role?

My colleagues particularly my manager and Senior Instrument Engineers, have been very supportive of my development at Arcadis. They are always willing to assist me with any queries I have, and through this I have been able to develop my skillset in a beneficial way.

Fellow graduates both within Cork and across Ireland and the UK have been very supportive. As we are all at similar stages in our career, we can relate to each other very easily and are also able to support each other with queries where we can.

The Early Careers team have also been excellent at supporting me and my fellow Graduates. They regularly arrange training events/workshops for us which have been very interesting and beneficial to my role at Arcadis, particularly for developing knowledge on how the business works, as well as developing interpersonal skills.

5. What do you enjoy most about Arcadis?

The work environment is very collegiate, friendly, and collaborative. Everybody is willing to support and help where they can, and it is this approach that allows Arcadis to succeed. I was made to feel very welcome from the moment I walked into the office on day one.

I am also enjoying the project work. The pharmaceutical sector in Ireland is a very interesting industry, so being a part of the work taking place in this sector has been very rewarding.

I enjoy having a network of people at a similar stage of their career to me thanks to the Graduate GROW Programme. When I first started, all the Graduates were assigned a group project which I really enjoyed, as I was able to work with fellow Graduates from various sectors from all over Ireland and the UK. My group’s project also won a competition which was a very rewarding experience!

6. What would your advice be to someone looking to secure a role with us?

Be your authentic self. Everybody can bring something unique to this company, so do not be afraid to show who you are, to show your strengths, and to show what attracted you to the role.

Be curious. Ask as many questions as you can, even at the interview stage! It is primarily through asking questions and learning from others that you will become more confident and comfortable in your role. Arcadis greatly encourages and supports this approach. People here really value curiosity and are always happy to explain things to you if you ask. 

Be proactive. Show that you are willing to be flexible in your workday, and to support multiple projects if needed. If you value a dynamic and varied work environment, this is the place for you.