We are delighted to introduce Phil Hodgson from Arup who has supported us through our City Of Change campaign.
Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign?
Arup in Bristol decided to join the City of Change campaign to connect with local young people, providing them a targeted opportunity to gain access to work placement opportunities in their own city. We’re a global employer and attract young talent from around the world; being part of the City of Change campaign enables us to promote opportunities to local people who might otherwise face challenges accessing and applying for them.
What do you think young people may contribute to your company?
Each year Arup’s early careers recruitment programme employs many graduates, apprentices, industrial placement and work experience students. These people bring an invaluable contribution, including energy, enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, digital skills, future thinking, constructive challenge and provocation. People at the early stages of their careers are the future of our business, employing great people with great potential is key to our long-term success.
What do you think companies may be missing by having a lack of young voices / influence in their organisation?
In my experience, the young voices we have within Arup bring diversity of thought and inspire and challenge us to continually grow and develop. Young people are the future of our company, the industry and the world that we shape. Not having them represented at Arup would weaken the base of the organisation, making it and the work we do less relevant to today’s society.
What advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
Learn from everyone you work with, but be yourself. Grow and evolve your career as you gain experience, and always be willing to embrace change. Even challenging projects or periods will end, and you’ll be stronger at the end as a result.
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