Meet Zainab, a temporary works design engineer who has completed a degree apprenticeship with Costain.

What led you to your career at Costain?  

"Whilst at school I was invited to the opening of the Lee Tunnel, I was intrigued and inspired seeing everyone come together to celebrate the completion. Two and a half years later I joined the Tideway Tunnel Project as an apprentice engineer which connects to the Lee Tunnel, it was a full circle moment!"  

How does your role contribute to improving people’s lives? 

"The first project I worked on was the Thames Tideway Tunnel as a site engineer. Essentially, the project is environmentally and socially driven, as it will direct the sewage overflows into the new tunnel and eventually clean up the River Thames. This will ease the burden on the current Victorian sewer and will deal with the growing demand. It will also make way for marine life and new green areas for the public."  

What’s your biggest professional achievement and why? 

"My biggest professional achievement is completing my degree apprenticeship. Balancing work, studying and working towards a professional qualification simultaneously was challenging, and I achieved a First Class with honours."  

What do you enjoy most about working at Costain?  

"I enjoy that everyday is different, each day presents a new challenge to tackle."  

What has inspired you during your time at Costain? 

"What inspires me is the impact we have on people’s lives and having the ability to develop and improve infrastructure."  

What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career? 

"The best advice I can give to is to continuously challenge yourself, to keep learning and ask questions when you need to."  

Connect with Zainab on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Chris Hewett, a senior engineer and sub agent currently workling on HS2 London Tunnels. Chris joined Costain in August 2018 as a graduate civil engineer following an initial work placement in 2015.

What led you to your career at Costain?  

"I have always had a passion for engineering, understanding how things work and how things are made. But what stands out most for me is the effect it can have on people’s lives. Infrastructure is essential for society and creates a lasting impact. This ultimately led me to pursue civil engineering and apply to Costain through a scholarship scheme. I wanted to work with a leader in UK infrastructure and engineering, delivering large scale projects that will leave a lasting legacy. Costain not only supported me through my studies but also gave me hands-on experience on several notable major projects." 

How does your role contribute to improving people’s lives? 

"As engineers, we play a pivotal role in shaping the world around us and the opportunity to contribute to something of such significance is what keeps me driven. While larger-scale projects often get widely published, smaller projects can also have profound impacts on peoples lives. I have been fortunate to contribute to both. For example, I have worked in the water industry working to undertake remedial works to critical water infrastructure, as well as implementing environmental protection for local ecology." 

What’s your biggest professional achievement and why? 

"One of my biggest achievements currently is being a part of the team at Greenpark Way on HS2, where we’ve overcome some very challenging ground conditions in the construction of two ventilation shafts. I reported on these challenges through the British Tunnelling Society Harding Prize which provided a platform to share the range and breadth of challenges we faced, and how as engineers we overcome them, with the wider industry. This led to me being fortunate enough to win the 2024 Harding Prize, an accolade that I am deeply proud of." 

What do you enjoy most about working at Costain?  

"Overcoming challenging obstacles and finding innovative solutions. I’m impressed by the vast scale of some of the projects I’ve worked on at Costain – including Hinkley Point C – as well as Thames Tideway East at Chambers Wharf, and where I currently work, the Green Park Way vent shafts which form part of the HS2 London Tunnels Scheme. 

Constructing monumental engineering feats is truly awe-inspiring and serves as a reminder of the intricate technicalities and effort required to build the infrastructure we often take for granted. Being a part of making these large feats happen is something that I really enjoy."  

What has inspired you during your time at Costain? 

"The inspiration behind my work stems from recognising the critical importance of infrastructure and our reliance on it. Hearing about the myriad challenges experienced across other projects and reading about the clever solutions that needed to be implemented is truly motivating. As engineers, we play a pivotal role in shaping the world around us and the opportunity to contribute to something of such significance is what keeps me driven."  

What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career? 

"I would describe engineering as very rewarding path that offers exposure to a variety of projects and accomplishments that you would never otherwise witness or be a part of. Particularly on the projects I’ve worked on, every day is different, and work is always progressing and changing. This variety means there’s always something new to look forward to and you don’t get bored of doing the same thing day in and day out." 

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Macy, a project controls degree apprentice who joined Costain in 2022.

What led you to your career at Costain?  

"I have always been interested in construction and buildings. At college I studied A-Level Art and design, and I really enjoyed making physical models of buildings, as well as planning the creation of these models and making step by step plans to get there. After researching into careers that were focused on the planning and the ‘behind the scenes’ process that gets you a final result, I came across Project Controls / Project Management."  

How does your role contribute to improving people’s lives? 

"My role helps to successfully deliver projects on time and on budget. For example, one of my roles was a risk manager on the M60 Simister Island interchange working with our customer National Highways. The project will improve junction 18 of the M60 and facilitate smoother flows of traffic along the connecting motorways, contributing to more reliable and safer journeys into and around Greater Manchester."

What’s your biggest professional achievement and why? 

"There are two achievements that I am most proud of to date. The first is being shortlisted for the Apprentice of the Year award at the Project Controls Expo in 2024. 

The other is creating and developing the GRaAPS (Graduate and Apprentices) network at Costain. The network is designed for apprentices and grads to collectively share their learning experiences to support career development." 

What do you enjoy most about working at Costain?  

"The people I’ve worked with and the opportunities I’ve had." 

What has inspired you during your time at Costain? 

"I have learnt that everyone is different and works differently, but to look at this from a ‘glass half full’ perspective. You learn methods of working that you can apply to your own work, and it’s inspiring to work with such amazing people everyday whom I can learn things from."  

What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career? 

"Be open minded and try every opportunity you are given. Better to say you tried something and it didn’t work out, than to say you didn’t try at all!" 

Connect with Macy on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our early career opportunities.

Meet Cameron, a civil engineer currently working in Costain's Central PMO. Cameron joined Costain in 2018 as part of our graduate programme.

What led you to your career at Costain?  

"Whilst studying at the University of Dundee I had the very fortunate experience of meeting a past Costain CEO, who explained Costain’s history and the opportunities it could offer. This led to me applying for a summer internship, and I subsequently received a sponsorship through my university. Costain supported me with my dissertation and upon completion of my master’s degree I joined the business full time as a graduate engineer."  

How does your role contribute to improving people’s lives? 

"Every project I have been involved in has made a huge difference to people’s lives. These include the M1 motorway upgrade, the A19 Testo’s junction improvements, and the Gatwick Airport station upgrade, which has made it easier for passengers to navigate from platforms to the airport terminals through improved accessibility and signage."  

What’s your biggest professional achievement and why? 

"Whilst working on the Gatwick Airport station upgrade there were many notable moments, including installing over 200 piles and opening temporary accommodation facilities for staff, but the biggest achievement was being involved in the completion of the refurbishment of two overbridges. It was a very proud moment to see passengers using the bridges within minutes of handing them back over to the customer."

What do you enjoy most about working at Costain?  

"Costain operates in a variety of sectors with projects across the UK, and as someone who wants to gain a range of experience, this makes it a great place to work. The company is also very flexible and provides me with the time and opportunities to develop my skills through sponsored learning and flexible working arrangements." 

What has inspired you during your time at Costain? 

"Since 2022, I have supported the organisation’s strategy and transformation work, which has allowed me to work across all of our sectors and services. I’ve been inspired by the visible desire across the organisation to strive for continuous improvement in our work. It shows that as a business we are all pulling in the same direction and aligned by Costain’s core values and behaviours, which underpin everything that we do." 

What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career? 

"Costain gives early careers professionals the opportunity to move between roles and sectors and I would encourage anyone starting out to take full advantage. Each area is very different and will teach you new things, help you grow your network and ultimately make you a more valuable team member." 

Connect with Cameron on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our early career opportunities.

Connect with Prince on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Fiona, a senior stakeholder engagement specialist with over 25 years’ experience working within the aviation industry. Joining Costain four years ago, her areas of specialism are airport operations and stakeholder engagement.

In her role as key account director for aviation, Fiona is committed to helping to shape the future of airport operations and infrastructure. She is passionate about what she does, providing strategic advice to help airport operators transform the customer experience and transition to net zero aviation.

“I really enjoy the collaborative aspect of my role and I believe passionately that together we are far stronger than the sum of our individual parts. I am delighted to have recently been elected as Deputy Chair of the British Aviation Group’s Airport Consultants Group, a fantastic forum for the aviation industry to address the biggest challenge of our time; the transition to net zero. In this role, alongside the Chair and my fellow Deputy Chair, I will be shaping opportunities to deepen collaboration across organisational boundaries, to share best practice and lessons learned, and to widen access to our fantastic industry.”

Fiona started her career as a retail buyer for major brands such as John Lewis and Jane Shilton. Once she started a family, she sought a more flexible career where she could balance being challenged with bringing up three sons! Fiona started working with British Airways at Heathrow, initially part time and then moving to full time as the boys got older.

“My first managerial role was overseeing the Terminal 5 readiness project. This role came with a lot of responsibility and was a fantastic chance to show just what I could do. I was accountable for overseeing the recruitment of the teams that would carry out the T5 proving trials, making sure that the new space would work for employees and that they had all been familiarised with the new terminal before its opening.”

Fiona then went on to lead significant change programmes for BA, honing advanced stakeholder engagement skills. Highlights include managing the Terminal 3 ramp and baggage programme and introducing new ways of working for the team, heading up the T3 and T5 dispatch teams as they efficiently readied aircraft turnarounds, leading the implementation of T5’s biggest ramp change management programme and ultimately heading up a team of over 1500 people in T5 baggage.

How Fiona's role contributes to improving people's lives:
“We’re committed to being a net zero business by 2035 at the latest. A big part of this is helping our customers to decarbonise their operations. As a business, we are playing an active role in defining the role of hydrogen within the wider energy mix, and how it can enable the transition to sustainable aviation. Flagship projects in this space include FlyZero, where we assessed the turnaround requirements at airports for hydrogen-fuelled aircraft and Connected Places Catapult’s Zero Emissions Flight Infrastructure project, where we explored the infrastructure requirements to support the at-scale adoption of hydrogen. We’re even walking – or driving! – the talk, with our own hydrogen-fuelled car.”

“My top tip for those looking to build a career in aviation would be to learn from those around you – how do they handle successes and how do they respond when things are challenging? I think a healthy dose of realism is important too – a career trajectory is rarely linear, and if you expect a direct route to your dream job, you may well be disappointed. Gaining a broad insight into your chosen field will always stand you in good stead, even if you specialise as your career progresses.”

Connect with Fiona on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Jason South, a Risk consultant who joined Costain after 25 years in the Armed Forces.

Jason is currently advising on new major UK infrastructure and transportation projects, such as National Highways M60 Simister Island project and the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme.

His role involves speaking to the discipline leads involved in a project, such as in construction, design and commercial teams, to understand any potential risks, and subsequently managing and implementing measures to ensure they are effectively mitigated. Another key part of the role is providing and maintaining communication with senior stakeholders.

Prior to joining Costain, Jason had a successful career serving in the Reconnaissance Regiment 9th / 12th Royal Lancers for 25 years. This included providing strategic advice to Division/Brigade HQ, assessing information and risk analysis to assist with battlefield command. He also served as a Global Operations Manager at Crisis24, a risk management and crisis response firm, before starting his career in construction.

Jason found his role with Costain with the support of Buildforce UK, an organisation that helps service leavers transition from the military to a career into the construction industry.

Costain works with Buildforce UK and other careers services such as the Careers Transition Partnership and the Officers Association, providing bespoke support to those moving into new roles, which as Jason says, is not necessarily a straightforward task:

“As soon as I joined Costain, the business has supported my development and helped me set clear goals and objectives. The work has been rewarding, stimulating, but most importantly, always interesting. But finding a new career doesn’t happen overnight. There are new skills to learn and a new environment to adjust to. My advice would be to consider your skillset and join careers networks who can aid your development that can make you more employable.”

Jason’s advice for those considering a change in career:
“Don’t discount your existing strengths and experience – your skills are highly transferrable. My role at Costain requires discipline, respect, problem solving and above all, a can-do attitude, all of which I have been able to develop throughout my career.”

Costain’s support for the Armed Forces extends to partnerships with the Forces Families Jobs Forum and the Military Coworking Network. This is to support the employment of service spouses and partners, offering advice, support and coaching.

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Katherine Lockley, a Graduate project manager currently working on the Major Infrastructure Projects (MIP) at Babcock’s Devonport facility for the Submarine Delivery Agency and the Royal Navy.

Katherine joined Costain in September 2023 and started on her first commission in October 2023.

“I graduated in 2013 with a degree in Biological Sciences from The University of West England. I went on to serve in the Royal Navy. I applied to Costain’s Graduate Programme because it offered on the job training in a large variety of sectors and in different job roles, the opportunity for remote working and a chance to be part of a highly respected company.”

The Costain Graduate 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, cyber security, environmental advisors and project controls/management.

“I have begun studying for my APM Project Fundamentals Qualification alongside my current role. It’s great to be able to combine hands on experience with the course content and really see the theory put into practice.”

Katherine is currently at Devonport, working in Costain’s joint venture to provide support to Babcock through assisting with onboarding of new staff, inductions, audits, communications engagement, resourcing and social value activities.

“I really like the ‘family’ feel of Costain. Colleagues are always happy to help in both a professional and personal way so there is always an opportunity to ask questions as I am finding my feet. There are a few different channels in which the P3M team can keep in touch, which has been really useful as I work primarily at home. I am also part of the Women’s network and the Parenting & Carers Network which is a great way to meet the wider Costain community.”

A final word of advice from Katherine for those looking to apply to the Graduate Programme:

“Having been in the Royal Navy for eight years, the move to a corporate role could have been daunting. However, seeing the support networks in place at Costain through the Service and Service Families Network as well as the opportunities to work on major infrastructure projects across the UK, I knew that there was a structure in place where I could use my transferrable skills and develop a whole range of new ones! I would advise anyone who wants a career change to just do it. It is daunting, however ended up being the best decision for me and my Family.”

Connect with Katherine on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Tasha, a graduate electrical design engineer who joined Costain in September 2022 on our graduate development programme, after completing a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Sussex.

The two-year programme is designed to fast track graduates to chartered status with a wide number of professional institutions within five years.

Tasha works in our joint venture with MWH Treatment, CMDP, which delivers several multi-million-pound contracts for our customer Southern Water.

CMDP’s projects with Southern Water include upgrading and maintaining drinking water and wastewater treatment works (WTW). Tasha has been involved in several different projects at both drinking water and WTW sites, creating and reviewing EICA (electrical, instrumentation, control and automation) documents to aid the delivery of projects, as well as working with mechanical and civil engineers within the project’s design team.

Tasha has had plenty of exposure to both on and off-site work. This included a six-month placement working on-site at Barcombe WTW in East Sussex, which aided her understanding of how design concepts are deployed, in turn helping her learn from those implementing the concepts first-hand.

Whilst on the graduate programme Tasha has had several opportunities to develop her learning and overall skillset. She has received mentoring and support from her direct team and those in different disciplines, and has also enrolled in external training courses related to building regulations and managing risk.

“My skillset has improved immeasurably since joining the graduate programme. I’ve had the opportunity to work on a range of projects across the JV as well as pick up useful learnings from colleagues in other disciplines, which I would not have had the opportunity to do in many other graduate schemes. But above all, I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many great people in a friendly, encouraging and fulfilling working environment.”

As well as Electrical Engineering, the graduate programme covers a variety of disciplines, from traditional roots into civil engineering, quantity surveying, through to data developers, finance, consultancy, digital innovation, environmental advisors and project controls/management.

Connect with Tasha on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Gareth, a chartered chemical engineer, with 25 years’ experience in the energy sector and process industries. Gareth’s focus is on delivering concept studies and advising clients on meeting their decarbonisation requirements.

In recent years, Gareth has focused on energy efficiency and carbon capture in the feasibility phase and was an Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme (ESOS) Lead Assessor (to 2020). His latest projects have focused on the potential for the hydrogen economy and battery charging to enable the energy transition to achieve net zero targets through decarbonisation.

“One of my biggest professional achievements is the development of the Hy Value scheme to produce hydrogen from waste biogas. Collaborating closely with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, I helped develop Hy-Value  (starting from a blank piece of paper!) through an initial scouting study and subsequent feasibility study, partly funded by Innovate UK. This scheme was awarded further innovation funding by Ofwat in 2022.”

Gareth also led work to study the future potential for aircraft fuelled by liquid hydrogen and whether acceptable turnaround times could be achieved. This broad study covered technical, economic, regulatory aspects as well as sustainability.

He has also led feasibility studies for large-scale hydrogen production and potential to link to carbon capture and storage (CCS) schemes, including compression and transfer by pipeline and developed pilot scheme designs to trial hydrogen for fuelling rail freight.

In his role, Gareth has had the opportunity to author technical articles on hydrogen and has lectured on the subject at the University of Birmingham and to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.  He co-authored the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) guide on Energy & Resource Efficiency and has advised the Environment Agency on management of waste gas and production of hydrogen from electrolysis (green hydrogen). He is currently participating in the IChemE working group on green hydrogen.

Connect with Gareth on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.

Meet Lacey, an apprentice civil engineer currently working in the water sector for United Utilities.

Lacey supported a highways project for Costain as a document controller before deciding that a career in engineering was of interest. After discussions with our early careers team, she joined Costain as an apprentice in January 2023.

“Since joining Costain, I have been presented with many learning opportunities like being invited on a ‘School of Engineering’ course for three days with Leica Training school and gaining supporting certifications. I’ve also been involved in senior management meetings to gain insight and understanding of how a business operates.”

Lacey is currently working for our customer United Utilities as part of the team at Audlem and Buerton South Wastewater Treatment Works.  United Utilities is the UK’s largest listed water company and is working to ensure the resilience of its network to the effects of climate change, including improving the quality of its wastewater effluent and providing a reliable drinking water supply to its customers.

Since 2019, Costain has provided management and asset maintenance activities throughout the north-west at 96 water treatment sites, 575 wastewater treatment sites, pumping stations and service reservoirs which serve over seven million people.  Following a recent contract extension, we will continue to support them into the next regulatory cycle (AMP8 2025-2030).

As an apprentice at Costain, you have the support of our dedicated early careers team. They are on hand to provide guidance and help in navigating the programme and what happens next.

"I have my own development plan setting out what I would like to achieve in five years’ time and this has been something the early careers team have encouraged we own. My line manager and project team have been great in supporting me with my ambitions and helping me progress to the level I am at now. I’m really looking forward to developing my career over the coming years."

What does Lacey enjoy most about being an apprentice at Costain?

“The People! Working for Costain is incredible. The people have been so welcoming, and the organisation supports you to be the very best you can be. If I hadn’t had the encouragement from my initial contact with Costain, I would never have thought I’d be on a career path that is so technical. Now I have every intention to work to my five-year plan and have a career in construction and engineering.”

Connect with Lacey on LinkedIn or search our careers page to learn about our current job opportunities.