I am an undergraduate student at the University of Leeds studying Natural Sciences, majoring in Environmental Science, and am currently undertaking an industrial placement year at LEAP. I initially chose to do a placement year in order to help me decide what industry I may want to enter after graduating, alongside allowing me to gain valuable professional working experience. LEAP was the perfect opportunity for my placement year, as joining a smaller company has allowed me to take on more responsibilities and have a greater involvement at all stages of different projects, from initial desk studies right through to final reports, alongside all the associated site work. This experience has helped expand my knowledge surrounding ground investigations and the wider construction industry, helping me understand what my future potential career path might look like once I have graduated.

Since starting here in August, I have had the opportunity to visit numerous sites of all different types and carry out a broad range of fieldwork, varying from water sampling to gas monitoring and everything in between. I have had the responsibility of attending sites alone for monitoring visits, alongside accompanying colleagues during site investigations, helping build my confidence and widen my understanding of the various techniques used by LEAP. The inclusive and supportive team that I am a part of allowed me to settle into life at LEAP with ease and I look forward to continuing my journey at LEAP – gaining more experience and furthering my development throughout my placement year here.