Environmental Geology graduate, Sandra Clement, secured a graduate internship in sustainability with Heathrow Airport Limited.

We caught up with her at our Careers Fair, where along with her colleagues, she spoke to many of you about her experience of securing her internship, as well as promoting the many internship opportunities available with Heathrow. You can read about her experiences below.

You can find out more about Heathrow's internship opportunities in sustainability and fields as diverse as; HR, communications, finance and engineering and capital projects (Closing date is Monday 3 December), here on the 'Jobs' tab on our Careers Portal.

Sandra Clement (left) pictured with her colleague at the Careers Fair.

What did you study and when did you graduate?

I graduated from Royal Holloway in July 2018 with a degree in BSc Environmental Geology.

Who do you work for and what is your job title?

I work for Heathrow Airport Limited and my job title is Sustainability Intern.

Briefly describe your current role?

Within the Sustainability team, sub-departments include Air Quality, Noise and Waste Management. On a weekly basis, team meetings are held, which provide the opportunity to share updates across the group and keep the team up-to-date. I am currently working alongside these departments, learning about ongoing projects and the complexities faced when planning changes at Heathrow Airport.

At present, I am involved in a project tackling waste segregation and coffee cup recycling within the terminals, a topic very prominent within the media. So far, this exposure has been insightful and a good starting-point/foundation, all in preparation for the potential management of my own projects in 2019.

What’s the best thing about the work you do?

The day-to-day variety within the workplace is exciting. Being able to directly apply my degree skills and develop myself in a supported role is refreshing. Not only this, but you are really encouraged to get involved in activities outside of your role, which makes coming to work a lot of fun!

What’s the most challenging aspect of the work you do?

Getting to grips with the fast pace of life at Heathrow. Having said this, the support and time given towards settling in makes this easily achievable.

What are your three top tips for students wanting to enter your industry?

• Be confident in your ability and emphasise what you are interested in
• Be prepared to build your network and get involved
• Note that you don’t have to know everything about planes to be of value at Heathrow: your skills matter!

How did your time at university prepare you for your job?

University provided the opportunity to grow my background knowledge of environmental issues, particularly my independent dissertation on air quality. This, combined with the continuous development of soft skills through team project work, presentations and independent research, meant I felt relatively prepared for the typical tasks and responsibilities you receive within the workplace.

Where did you hear about your internship?

During my final year of my degree, I spent time looking at graduate opportunities from company websites directly and I found out about the opportunities available at Heathrow via their Emerging Talent careers website.

How long was the process from application to offer?

The application process began in October 2017, and I received my offer in March 2018, before starting in October 2018.

What was involved in the application process?

The application involved five stages: primarily there is an online application which includes four scenario based questions. This is followed by a game-based assessment through an app on my phone, testing numerical, verbal and abstract reasoning. Next was a video interview, followed by a telephone interview, both individually comprising of scenario-based questions. Finally, there was an assessment centre, which involved a face-to-face interview, case study, presentation and group exercise.

If someone applying to Royal Holloway asked you about coming to the university, what would you say?

With Royal Holloway being a relatively small-campus university, there is a definite sense of belonging felt amongst the student community. I certainly appreciated throughout my degree.

Studying day-to-day and often away from home can easily push some students out of their comfort zone, meaning it is very significant and beneficial to feel supported by the university community.