Morgan James

A bit about me

I joined Wales & West Utilities in August 2012, after graduating from Swansea University with a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. I initially embarked on the graduate programme before moving into a more substantive role. My current role is within Asset Management, as an Asset Manager for High Pressure Pipelines, Pressure Management and High Pressure Storage. 

Why a graduate programme?

I decided to apply for the graduate programme because I knew of the company’s commitment to getting its graduates to a Chartered Engineer status. A real ambition of mine is to become Chartered and thankfully WWU are 100% committed to helping their Graduate Engineers achieve this.

Support and development

All graduates at Wales & West Utilities get on and we’re a fairly tight knit group. Having support around me, with people who have gone through or going through the same experiences, was definitely a positive during my time on the programme. All the mentors/managers are also more than happy to assist and advise.

What did you enjoy most about the graduate programme?

The first year consists of placements which offer great opportunities to understand the business, see how each department interlinks and to meet key people within the organisation who can offer advice in the future. The placements are often varied, where one day you may be attending a gas leak and then the next carrying out analysis on a new gas connection for a large housing development. This variety was excellent and the knowledge gained has served me well in the early stages of my career at Wales & West Utilities  

How has the programme helped your career?

When interviewing for my current role, being able to draw on my experiences throughout the graduate programme has been invaluable. It’s provided me with a good grounding of the company and if nothing else, I know who to ask when I need some information!