Georgia Hall

I was encouraged to apply for the Arkwright Scholarship by my technology teacher and I found the application process really interesting. The selection process and the Scholarship itself introduced me to the world of engineering. I had always been interested in maths, architecture and design, and I realised that civil engineering was the perfect combination of these subjects.

My Scholarship helped me to obtain relevant work experience during my A-Levels, and was also a great talking point during my university interviews.

 "Georgia joined our team of geotechnical engineers straight after graduating. She has put her education and skills into practice on a range of projects since then and her contribution to our work is highly valued."

Jane Collins, Associate Director, Geotechnics, Arup Manchester Office

My Civil Engineering degree course was challenging but rewarding; I enjoyed the variety of lectures, practicals and group work. I had work experience each summer which helped me to understand the work of a design office and gain contacts in the industry. My course offered me the chance to continue studying French and I completed my final year of university in Grenoble, France. This was a fantastic opportunity to use my language skills in a professional environment. Whilst in Grenoble I did a term of university study and a one-term project placement at an engineering firm. This experience stood me in good stead when applying for jobs and after graduating I joined Arup’s Manchester Geotechnics team.

Geotechnical engineering deals with the design of building foundations and all structures which interact with the ground. Whilst in the Manchester office I have worked on a variety of projects gaining design, site and project management experience. My time on site included supervision of foundation construction at the new Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) Unit at The Christie Hospital in Manchester. This is the first PBT Unit to be built in the UK, and I am very proud to have been involved in such a high-profile and worthwhile project. After two years in Manchester I am now spending a year in the Arup Milan office, where I am working on the new Roma FC Stadium development amongst other projects.

Separately from work I have been involved with a charity called EFOD (Engineers for Overseas Development) through which I was involved with designing and overseeing the construction of a grain store in Uganda. I was able to use my skills and experience in a new way to help people in rural communities.

I find my work highly rewarding. Nothing can beat seeing something that you’ve designed being built! I’m lucky to have had such a range of experience this early in my career helped by my Arkwright Engineering Scholarship.