My Stantec Story: Building a graduate career in civil engineering with Gurveer Jutte
July 13, 2022
Gurveer, graduate civil engineer, shares how his passion for improving our communities is shaping his career
Share
In the My Stantec Story series, our designers, engineers, marketers, project managers, and leaders come together to share how their career journeys at Stantec have shaped their lives and moved them closer to their goals.
Tell us about your role…
I joined Stantec's London and Ashford civil engineering team in 2020, where I’ve worked on a wide range of public and private sector projects from planning stages through to construction detail design. My role is to support the discipline lead, develop the engineering design, and ensure coordination with the project team using AutoCAD drawings and Civil 3D modelling.
What attracted you to a career at Stantec?
I’ve always enjoyed building things and as a child frequently asked why something works the way it does and how it’s possible. As I grew older, I became more interested in construction and buildings, so I chose civil engineering over other engineering disciplines.
I really wanted to work in communities and make an impact on wider society. I was eager to design housing developments and provide a solution to the housing crisis facing the United Kingdom right now, and Stantec’s Community Development sector perfectly aligned with this goal.
Share
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I work across different civils teams that my line manager oversees in London and the south east of England. Gaining as much exposure as possible in the different lines of work (residential greenfield projects, mixed use community developments, and urban regeneration and highways) is a huge positive to my role and career development.
How has your personal and professional development been supported at Stantec?
Every year, I meet with my line manager and we discuss my goals. They advise which training courses I will need to attend. With so many Stantec training courses available to choose from, all led by specialists in the organisation, you can pick something different. This allows you to learn something new and use it to contribute to your team’s service offerings. It’s also great that as part of the Graduate Program you can sign up for the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the annual fee is covered by Stantec.
I also really enjoy attending Developing Professional Group (DPG) events, especially the “Meet the Leaders” seminars. It’s great to listen and learn from senior people across the globe that you would never have a personal chat with across desks in your own local office.
I was thrown in the deep end right away. Coming out of Lockdown 1.0, the construction industry restarted and exploded with demand. Nearly two years later, we’re all still trying to meet the demand so there has been extensive opportunity for exposure and learning for graduates.
What has been the standout project for you during your time at Stantec?
Working on 300 Harrow Road was a highlight. It’s a mixed-use residential project with community facilities for Westminster Council. Not only are we providing affordable housing in Central London but also a new nursery and community hub. I modelled the sewer drainage and utilities in 3D which allowed for clash detection with the foundations and internal building works. It was something new for the team and was a great example of new ways of working and innovating what the “norm” is.
What are your ambitions for the future at Stantec?
The options are very open. Everyone I speak to emphasises you can decide what your own career will be based on what you enjoy most. For me, it’s covering all aspects of a project. So, my plan is to focus on being an overall civils specialist covering drainage, highways, utilities, etcetera. As I get more experience being a project manager, delivering great pieces of work with my team that benefit our local towns and cities, I want to progress my way through to a leadership level.
What are your passions outside of work?
I’ve always been very sporty and active in my spare time. I enjoy cycling in the warmer days across Kent—the Garden of England—and go to the gym regularly before work. London is only a short journey away on High Speed 1 and my weekends are for discovering new bars and restaurants!
Why should others join the Stantec team?
Here at Stantec, you get a lot of experience right from the get-go. You are also given many opportunities to meet lots of Stantec colleagues from across the country working on multi-disciplinary projects.
At Stantec, we always design with community in mind, and for Gurveer that means a role where he can make a real impact on society. If you want to start your career at Stantec, visit Graduates & Apprentices to find out more.