The programme covers a variety of diverse disciplines, from traditional roots into civil engineering, quantity surveying, electrical and mechanical engineering through to data developers, finance, consultancy, digital innovation, environmental advisors and project controls/management.

We are constantly reviewing our offering to meet the changing needs of the business and of society in a bid to deliver on our purpose of improving people’s lives.

In the past three years we have recruited over 120 graduates and intend to maintain or increase this number over the new few years.

Why choose Costain?

Costain provides a career in a well-recognised and respected organisation who push the boundaries of technology and complex program delivery in a variety of sectors. As a member of our graduate programme, you will:

• Work alongside high calibre colleagues
• Have opportunities in a diverse range of sectors, locations and business areas
• Take part in continued technical training tailored to your discipline, participate in a number of development activities to grow your business and personal skills to accelerate your people and client facing skills
• Take part in community projects to support our corporate, social and environmental (CSR) goals and contribute to the growth of others
• Be able to access a company-approved further-learning scheme so BEng graduates can bridge the gap to MEng learning whilst saving a year’s tuition fees
• Begin your journey to professional chartership in the discipline of your choice
• Competitive salary with two pay reviews per year.

What we offer

We aim to kick start your career through a two-year development programme, enhanced by behavioural and technical skills training in specific skill sets, designed to fast track you to chartered status with a wide number of professional institutions within five years.

The programme includes:

• A variety of specifically designed development programmes, designed to supplement your development at crucial times, allowing you to concentrate time on your own development, build all-important relationships with your cohort and to network with senior Costain staff helping you to create a network of contact across the divisions/sectors and sites for the future
• A number of modular training courses, as well as regular technical and safety-critical courses in line with your role and the sector or project in which you work
• An opportunity to work on live business tasks sponsored by Costain’s senior leadership team, engaging you with our research, innovation and corporate responsibility agenda while enabling you to develop competencies above and beyond those you are expected to demonstrate during the day job
• Fully trained professional development mentors and regular professional development days where you can learn from graduates from your disciple or discipline leads
• Beyond programme support to ensure that you are fully embedded within the business and continue to be supported in the first year of your substantive role
• Dedicated central Early Careers team and local site support for apprentices
• We want to provide work experience that supplements our graduates’ development and meets their aspirations. After a settling in period, we can offer the flexibility to rotate around Costain’s sectors and projects. We also offer internal secondments so you can explore new areas of the business and external secondments so you can work with our partners or supply chain to build your capabilities in areas such as engineering design.

What we’re looking for

We are looking for skilled, energetic, flexible and motivated students and graduates who are committed to helping us become the leader in our current markets and in those yet to be discovered.

We are seeking graduates with a good result (typically a 2:1) in a relevant degree subject (please note this varies in line with the job in question).

Application process

Our graduate vacancies open in the 4th quarter of each year and we aim to close early in the first quarter of the following year.

Applications will be sifted for suitability and then passed to line managers who will short list those candidates they would like to invite to interview and or assessment centre.

Successful applicants who are invited to attend an interview/assessment centre will be advised of the outcome and a start date agreed with the hiring project and the candidate.

We aim to onboard our annual cohort in August/September but this can vary depending on the needs of the project in question.

At offer stage we will ask you for a copy of your passport (or alternative identification) and any right to work documentation you may have, for verification purposes before confirming the actual offer and the start date.

The formal graduate development programme will begin with a Launchpad event held during October to November. Subsequent development modules and technical training will be scheduled across the following two years running alongside your day job.