aspire to be our future

Dan Nelson:

The Graduate Programme at South Staffordshire Plc has been a very positive experience. From the beginning, I felt like an important member of the company and had direct contact with employees at all levels of the business. Placements at three of the businesses within the Group have given me a broader perspective of how the company operates than any one position could offer.

During my time on the Graduate Programme, I participated on a bid team for a multi-million pound software procurement, conducted an audit of part of South Staffs Water leakage policy, and managed a small team of technicians in the field. The programme has been challenging at times, but the company's commitment to my own development as a manager has been apparent throughout. I would recommend this programme to anyone interested making a fast start to a career in the utilities sector or other infrastructure-related business.

Craig Brown:

As South Staffordshire Plc is made up of many different companies, I have been given the opportunity to work across a number of diverse roles. I have worked on project management, efficiency improvements in metering, and operations management in a repair and maintenance team where I have been directly responsible for the management of people.

As a result of this experience my skillset has developed hugely over the two years of the scheme. I now have the capability to manage people, projects and processes effectively. Accompanying my personal development, I have also picked up a lot of knowledge about the water and infrastructure services industry along the way.

Most importantly, everything I have worked on over the course of the scheme has seen a tangible benefit to the business. This has been fantastic for my own personal job satisfaction, but has also provided the opportunity to demonstrate my ability to key stakeholders.

Tim Duncan:

I saw a graduate scheme as the ideal way to make the transition from student to professional. The graduate scheme at South Staffordshire Plc has provided me with great development opportunities with senior management across the Group always willing to provide mentorship, advice and support. The scheme has allowed me to test my abilities across the different arenas the Group operate in, helping to identify further development needs as well as which direction I would like to progress my career.

Sarah Gregg

With a background in Environmental Sciences and Engineering Geology I decided to apply for the South Staffordshire Plc Graduate Scheme for a new challenge and the chance to join a Group with opportunities for progression.

During the scheme I have been placed within many of the Group's companies. My first placement was as a Resource Analyst within South Staffs Water. I was able to complete two very useful projects, as well as getting hands-on site experience, such as environmental monitoring and borehole surveying.

I later completed a short placement within Data Contracts where I assisted in providing a new and innovative solution for stabilising the ground underneath a Grade II listed site.

Within my placement at Echo Managed Services, I made the transition from an engineering background to a new business strategic role whereby I was project coordinating the later stages of a large contract tender.

I am now project managing our office refurbishment project, holding the budget and running the procurement and design/build alongside the Contractors.

Upon completion of the Graduate Scheme, I am hoping to become a project manager within Echo.