I’m Dan, graduate management consultant at Atkins on the Junior Consultant Development Programme (JCDP). At the moment I’m seconded to a critical government department in the UK, where I need to think creatively and challenge things that I believe could be done in a more efficient or innovative way.
What made you decide on a career in management consultancy?
As a young child I wanted to be a vet, and after that, anything related to working with wildlife conservation, humanitarian charities and people in general. When I ‘grew up’ I knew I didn’t want to be doing the same thing day in, day out. I felt management consultancy would allow me to work with various groups of people on an array of different and interesting projects.
Why Atkins?
The ethos of the company was one of the main reasons I wanted to work here. The core values of integrity, collaboration and innovation guide whatever we do – so I really have confidence in the way things are done at Atkins. I also applied because of Atkins’ reputation and size – I’m able to work on a wide variety of big and small projects for public and private sector clients. And so far I’ve been exposed to a fair few of them!
Who inspires you in Atkins?
My current project manager, who always remains positive and manages to deliver work to a high standard, even when things can be quite hard going. Also a few of the client directors who I’ve worked closely with in the past, who have progressed up the ranks with Atkins and are now doing fantastic work developing our relationships with clients.
What is it like to work at Atkins?
I find it to be an incredibly collaborative and supportive company. Despite being with Atkins for a relatively short amount of time, everyone I have worked with is more than happy to answer questions and share their knowledge. There is definitely a ‘one team’ culture. The best thing about the company is the people. Being on the JCDP has been fantastic in both support and social aspects.
What’s your proudest career moment to date?
Being awarded the Junior Consultant of the Month Award for my contribution to the Security Intelligence and Government Win Work Team and facilitating a workshop focusing on increasing market and practice collaboration.
Dan’s line manager told us how much she values Dan’s contribution:
On his secondment, Dan is part of the Project Management Office (PMO) team. This means he works hand in hand with other Atkins colleagues and the client to solve complicated problems on our client’s projects and programmes.
He hasn’t been with us for long, but we offered him responsibility quickly, giving him any support that he’s needed. I rely on him to provide project management (PM) expertise and work with the PMO team on site, developing solutions that balance industry best-practice and the maturity of the project/programme with the client’s needs.
Day to day, he maintains and advocates effective governance across the project/programme and does this by taking ownership of PMO activities, such as tracking and monitoring risks & issues, producing reports and facilitating budget meetings. Ultimately Dan ensures that our client’s projects/programmes are delivered on time, on budget and within the agreed scope.
As a client facing consultant he’s an ambassador for Atkins and always conducts himself in a professional manner, with a clear focus on listening to, understanding and meeting the client’s needs. He’s a valued member of the team and we’re extremely proud of the work he is doing!
Keen to discover what you’re really capable of? Apply for our graduate development programme, here.