2026 Summer Placements

Description
What if you could shape a career as unique as you?   At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

We are seeking enthusiastic summer placement students to join a variety of sectors and service lines across our organisation. If you are adaptable and keen to learn within a leading consultancy for Engineering and Professional Advisory services, we would love to hear from you. You will thrive in our collaborative environment, applying your skills to a wide spectrum of clients and projects, gaining invaluable experience and insight as you work alongside expert teams.

Join us for a Summer Placement at WSP and you'll work alongside leading engineering, advisory and science professionals on real projects. You'll put your academic knowledge into practice, gain hands on experience, and explore a variety of career path, helping you make confident decisions about your future.

We are recruiting for Summer Placements in a several disciplines and locations as follows:

• Aviation – London 
  Degrees considered: Civil Engineering, Airport Planning and Management, Air Transport Planning and Management, Aviation Planning and Operations
   
• Bridge Engineering – Basingstoke, Birmingham, Cardiff, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Guildford, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Perth & Wrexham
  Degrees considered: Civil Engineering & Structural Engineering
   
• Communities – Cardiff, Exeter & Gloucester
  Degrees considered: Civil Engineering & Structural Engineering
   
• Environmental Management Assessment - London and Manchester
  Degrees considered: Environmental Sciences, Geography, Environmental Management, Sustainability, Law and other degrees considered
   
• Environmental Management Assessment -  Project Management - London or Manchester
  Degrees considered: Environmental Sciences, Geography, Environmental Management, Environmental Consultancy, Biology, Biological Sciences, Project Management
   
• Facades – London or Manchester
  Degrees considered: Architectural Engineering, Facades, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering. Materials Technology, Sustainable Built Environments and  Digital Design.
   
• Fire Engineering – Edinburgh & London
  Degrees considered: Fire Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Chemical Engineering
   
• Land Consulting – Belfast & Glasgow
  Degrees considered: Geography, Environmental Management, Planning, GIS & Estates Management, Countryside Management & Agriculture 
   
• Rail Engineering Services – Birmingham or London
  Degrees considered: Civil Engineering & Mechanical Engineering
   
• Rail Stations – Birmingham, London or Manchester
  Degrees considered: Mechanical Engineering & Electrical Engineering
   
• Rail Systems Engineering - Manchester, London, Bristol or Birmingham
  Degrees considered: MEng Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Electrical Engineering
   
• Security Consulting – London 
  Degrees considered: Terrorism & Security, Politics, Security and International Studies, International relations and Politics, International Security Studies, Crime and Security Science, Electronic and Electrical Engineering
   
• Transport Planning - Bristol, Edinburgh, London, Manchester & Southampton
  Degrees considered: Civil Engineering, Urban Planning & Geography
   
• Water  - Asset Design - London
  Degrees considered: Civil Engineering, Project Management, Data Science & Computer Science

You will be embedded in an enthusiastic, friendly and supportive team working closely with our engineers and advisors. Providing you with a challenging and fulfilling placement. You will have the opportunity to deal with internal and external stakeholders, collaborate with colleagues and adapt to dynamic project environments. 

Scholarships at WSP

At the end of a placement, both students and their hosting teams will be invited to share feedback. If the experience has been positive and you are keen to return, WSP may offer a scholarship to support the remainder of your studies. 

Upon graduation, students who have successfully completed their placements and received strong feedback you will be considered for a permanent graduate role, subject to availability. Successful students will then join WSP's structured 2-year Graduate Development Programme.

Graduate Development Programme

Our two-year Graduate Development programme is designed to support personal and professional development and growth through an engaging blended learning experience. The programmes include core business and professional skills training, career development workshops and resources, valuable networking opportunities, mentoring for professional registration and a breadth of on-the-job experience. 

Our teams are dedicated to supporting your career growth from the very beginning. Some employees have started as placement students and progress to graduate level and have later successfully advanced within the company. We encourage our graduates to achieve chartered status with professional bodies such as the ICE and IStructE making their development a priority. Upon becoming a graduate, you will be fully supported through enrolment in a professional institution's training agreement, guiding you towards chartered status.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate

You'll be studying and working towards completing your degree with at least a 2:2 in a Master's degree in a relevant subject for the role you are applying for. To assist you in finding potential areas of the business that are relevant to you, please visit our Undergraduate website or Early Careers brochure

• Candidates must complete the application form in full answering all specific questions. This requirement applies to all candidates, inclusive of their background. Successful completion of this stage is mandatory. Candidates who pass this initial stage, will then be required to complete an online skill enabler assessment. Both the application form and the skill enabler assessment are essential parts of the early career's recruitment process.
• You'll be looking to start your placement in June/July and be available for 6-8 weeks.
• You'll have a passion for Sustainable Engineering, Planning and / or consulting solutions.
• You'll have an enthusiasm for creativity and a drive to solve problems.
• You'll want to inspire us, sharing new ideas you have.

Don't quite meet all the criteria? Should you have the right qualifications for our positions, apply and we can see how your experience aligns to these roles and other opportunities we have available.

For further information regarding our Application & Selection process, including timelines for recruitment, please visit our Early Careers brochure - Application & Selection

We review applications for our Early Career opportunities on a rolling basis, which means we begin progressing some candidates to the final stages before the application closing date. To ensure your application receives full consideration, we recommend submitting it as early as possible.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.  

Work on landmark projects around the world and embrace opportunities to make an even bigger impact in the communities you care about. What if you could do the best work of your life and create a legacy for yourself?  

With us, you can. Apply today.

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