Conor Lehane, graduate engineer
Tell us about your role in ROD; what is your day-to-day like?
I’m a civil and structural engineer on ROD’s graduate development programme.
My first two rotations were with the buildings and bridges teams, where I was primarily involved in the design and analysis of small and large-scale structures.
Now I’m working with the transportation team, I’m involved in everything from junction analysis and design to writing reports and contracts.
What degree/master’s did you undertake in college?
I studied at University College Dublin (UCD) where I completed both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil, structural and environmental engineering.
Have you always had a career path in mind?
Chartership was always the goal, even in college.
When I complete the graduate development programme here, I’ll join the company's chartership support programme, which I know will be a great help to me as I work towards reaching that career milestone.
Why ROD?
I had three reasons for applying to ROD:
- As a multidisciplinary consultancy, ROD has expertise in civil, structural and environmental engineering. This allows ROD to undertake a wide range of projects from inception to completion, with graduates being involved in every step along the way.
- The depth of experience you gain through the rotations is unparalleled and greatly helps in the development of your knowledge and skills.
- ROD has designed some of the most iconic bridge structures in Ireland and abroad, including the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin and the Northern Spire Bridge in Sunderland, UK.
Give us some insight into the application process; what did you have to do?
The application process was simple. After submitting my cover letter and CV, I was invited to take part in an assessment day in the office. The day comprised of group activities in the morning followed by an interview in the afternoon.
During the morning, ROD’s Harry Meighan spoke to us about the company, and then one of the graduates from the previous year’s intake, Thomas Houlihan, shared his first-hand experience of the programme with us.
Why do you think you were successful?
While I had a strong cover letter and CV, that only got me as far as the interview.
I spent a lot of time looking into what made ROD the right fit for me in advance of the assessment day. That really paid off, because when I was asked why I had chosen ROD over their competitors, I didn't have to think twice.
What previous work experience did you have?
During my time in college, I spent two summers working in the design offices of civil and structural engineering consultancies. The experience confirmed for me that working in a design office environment was what I wanted after finishing college.
Any tips for others starting the application process?
I found that one of the best methods of researching companies was also one of the easiest; their websites.
A lot of companies share their vision, their history, who their clients are and matters most to them in terms of values on their websites. If you can drop some of that detail into your application or interview, it's a great way of showing you've been swotting up and are passionate about working for them.
Finally, between lectures and exams, you’ll find the closing date for applications comes around very fast. The earlier you get your application in the better!
