I am a BSc Geography student at the University of Brighton and I am currently taking on a year-long placement with LEAP Environmental as part of my degree between my second and third years. I first applied to LEAP after discovering the careers section on the website and finding that they offered placements. While I was not sure that a placement would be for me at the time, I am glad that I applied because I wouldn’t be here otherwise!
As a person with very limited industrial experience at the start of my placement, LEAP has allowed me to gain an understanding of aspects from a wide variety of roles within the company and pushed me to carry out tasks both in-office and on-site by providing training in all that I may be unsure of to allow me to gain the most out of this placement. These tasks range from the Health and Safety end of planning fieldwork, writing risk assessments and Phase I Desk Studies, as well as elements of interpretive reports too; to the site work side of the role which includes gas monitoring and groundwater sampling, as well as corresponding with sub-contractors while carrying out site investigations involving boreholes and trial pits. Post site work, my role includes creating logs and typing up factual elements of reports, and creating GIS plans of the site and works carried out.
LEAP has consistently encouraged me to push myself and my personal development both academically and professionally, this includes inviting me to sessions run for the internal Graduate Training Scheme run at LEAP and to external lectures run by The Geological Society’s South East Regional Group. LEAP has also been a great place to get a taste of a future career by providing a friendly and understanding environment to work that combines professional and social occasions allowing me to get to know the team right from the start. Although I have not been with the company for a long time I feel like a valued member of the team and am very much looking forward to the rest of my time with LEAP.
Name
Calum
Role
Undergraduate