2026 Graduate Programme

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

We are seeking graduates for our Civil teams who are adaptable and eager to learn in a leading Engineering and Professional Advisory consultancy. You will enjoy a collaborative work environment, applying your skills to a variety of clients and projects.

We are recruiting for Graduates in the following services and locations:

• Civil - Bridge Engineering: London, Bristol, Cardiff, Wrexham, Exeter, Truro, Birmingham, Manchester, Carlisle, Newcastle, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth (Perthshire), and Belfast.
• Civil - Aviation – Airport Planning & Advisory: London
• Civil - Aviation – Airfield Engineering: London
• Civil - Pavement Engineering: Derby, Reading or London

A Little bit more about your role and the team…

Working as a Graduate in the Civil team will mean working on exciting and innovative projects across our specialist services. You can apply to work in one of our engineering teams which include bridges, airport planning and advisory, airfield engineering, maritime engineering, asset management and pavements. Each team offers hands-on experience, early responsibility, and cross-disciplinary collaboration on both small and large-scale projects, supporting professional growth.

Graduates will benefit from a robust pipeline of work and strong mentorship from experienced engineers. This comprehensive and varied experience builds a solid foundation for a successful engineering career within a global industry.

Projects

Our teams work on notable projects in the UK, and you will be helping deliver projects such as:

• Bridges: A9 Dualling Specimen Design, A83 Rest and Be Thankful, M8 Woodside Viaducts, A5 Western Transport Corridor, Southern Link Road (CSLR), Tyne Bridge refurbishment, Thelwall Viaduct, HS2 Old Oak Common and Euston Stations, Old Street Underground Station redevelopment, Network Rail Civil Assessment Framework, Brent Cross TfL Structures Project
• Maritime Engineering: Barking Waste Transfer Station, Future Port Talbot, UK Ports Inspection and Rehabilitation
• Pavement Engineering: Bristol Port, National Highways, DIO MOD HS2 Old Oak Common Lane, aircraft arrestor system in Iceland, airfield in Guinea, offshore wind assembly port for 2500T cranes, National Highways SDF projects, local authority projects
• Airfield Engineering: Stansted Terminal expansion, Gatwick Pier 6 extension, Heathrow control point, runway extensions and airside upgrades in Iceland
• Airport Planning & Advisory: Leeds Bradford Airport Strategic Study, Copenhagen Airport Master Plan, Almaty Airport Technical Advisory, Dubai World Central Airport Phase II, Airport Master Plans and Competitions in Saudi Arabia

*Bridge Engineering:*
Our Civil teams include:

Working as a Graduate in this team, you will be supporting experienced colleagues with a range of civil engineering works such as structural inspection, assessment, design, strengthening, repair, asset management, and project management, gaining exposure to major works.

The diverse workload provides a variation of work allowing graduates to manage smaller projects early on, while gaining exposure to large, complex works, aiding their rapid development as Engineers.

*Day-to-day Activities Could Include:*

• Bridge inspections using specialist access provision such as pontoons, under bridge inspection gantries, mobile elevated working platforms and confined space entry techniques.
• Organisation of site visits and Structural design and assessment.
• Asset management - Design of structural repairs.
• Structural bridge assessment calculations.
• Supervision of contractors and Project management.
• Business development and tendering.

*Aviation – Airport Planning & Advisory:*
Being a Graduate in this team will involve delivering high-quality airport planning and advisory services in the UK and internationally, including master planning, demand forecasting, capacity analysis, airside and terminal modelling, and sustainability advice. Activities include technical delivery of planning tasks, capacity analysis, bid preparation, and research on emerging markets such as sustainable aviation fuels and AAM/eVTOLs.

*Day-to-day Activities Could Include:*

• Contributing to the technical delivery of airport planning and advisory tasks on a variety of UK and international aviation projects.
• Delivering airport planning & capacity solutions as part of airport master plans and development projects, covering airfield, apron, terminal, landside, ancillary facilities etc. and providing robust analysis and advice for technical advisory projects.
• Being responsible for the successful completion and delivery of airport planning related tasks.
• Contributing to the preparation of bids and proposals for potential new projects.
• Contributing to the team's technical understanding of new emerging markets relating to sustainable aviation, carbon reduction, sustainable aviation fuels, AAM/eVTOLs

*Aviation – Airfield Engineering:*
Working as a Graduate in this team you will assist with delivering a range of aviation civil engineering works with an emphasis on airfield infrastructure design. You may find yourself assisting with UK and large multi-disciplinary international airports, using state of the art software and developing knowledge with 3D modelling.

Our Graduates get involved in the full range of projects across the globe, including the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. You will work in full collaboration with Senior Engineers, whilst gaining exposure to large scale projects. Looking forward, we are excited to be expanding into new aviation sectors such as VTOL, eVTOL, helipads and other areas that implement new and emerging technologies.

*Day-to-day Activities Could Include:*

• Supporting the more senior airfield engineers in their development of airfield designs.
• Assisting in the production of technical reports and technical specifications.
• Undertaking civil works design and design reviews across all design stages. Geometric and grading design of Runways, Taxiways, Aprons, service roads, etc.
• Design coordination across multiple disciplines including the Pavement Engineering, Structural Engineering and Drainage and Water Management teams.
• Assisting in the production of Civil 3D Design of civil works and airfield infrastructure.
• Assisting in the preparation of design proposals, resource estimations and management of Sub-consultants.
• Undertaking visits to Airfields in the UK and internationally to provide support and technical design consultation to Clients or design partners.

*Maritime Engineering:*
Maritime Engineering is a niche area dedicated to the planning, design and construction of port facilities, marine infrastructure and coastal facilities. Our Maritime Engineering team offer the unique opportunity to work on a large range of diverse and multidisciplinary projects across the UK and internationally. Working in this team will mean working across a large range of projects and as well as supporting our Energy Transition team with the repurposing of exiting ports to support the renewables industry, gaining as much experience as your enthusiasm and pro-activity allows.

*Day-to-day Activities Could Include:*

• Inspection, design and rehabilitation of UK ports.
• Concept and detail designs of Port Infrastructure Globally.
• Site visits to operations ports in the UK and overseas.
• Preparation of project deliverables i.e. reporting, specifications, drawings.
• Undertaking technical calculations.
• Research topics to assist project team.
• Prepare and keep accurate records of project meetings.
• Document Control and assisting with financial management of projects.

*Pavement Engineering:*
Working within our Pavement Engineering team you will deliver a range of civil engineering works with an emphasis in pavement engineering. Our team have exposure of working in many regions across the world and have experience with regional standards and materials. They deliver works in pavement assessment, design, and asset management for aviation, maritime, streetscapes, and highways, focusing on cost efficiency and reducing embodied carbon.

*Day-to-Day Activities Could Include:*

• Assisting with the inspection of a local highway and Pavement inspections.
• Pavement design to National Highways standards and specifications.
• Pavement design to military and commercial airfield and port standards.
• Design of repairs and maintenance of assets and supporting with expert and technical advice commissions.
• Report writing and preparation of calculations, specifications and drawings.

Graduate Development Programme

Our two-year Graduate Development programme is designed to support personal and professional development and growth through an engaging blended learning experience. The programmes include core business and professional skills training, career development workshops and resources, valuable networking opportunities, mentoring for professional registration and a breadth of on-the-job experience.

To find out more, please visit: Who we are - ECP

Our teams are committed to your career progression, encouraging growth from the outset. Many colleagues joined as graduates and have now advanced within the business. We encourage you to pursue chartered status with professional bodies such as the ICE and IStructE, ensuring your development is a priority. You will be fully supported through enrolment in a professional institution's training agreement, guiding you towards chartered status.

To find out more about Sectors and Specialisms we recruit our Graduates into, as well as qualification requirements, please visit our website.

*What Will Be Looking For You To Demonstrate*
You'll have graduated with at least a 2:2 in a master's or bachelor's degree in a relevant subject for the role you are applying for. To assist you in finding potential areas of the business that are relevant to you please visit our Graduate brochure or website.

• Candidates must complete the application form in full answering all specific questions. This requirement applies to all candidates, inclusive of their background. Successful completion of this stage is mandatory. Candidates who pass this initial stage, will then be required to complete an online skill enabler assessment. Both the application form and the skill enabler assessment are essential parts of the early career's recruitment process.
• You'll be looking to start work in either April or September 2026.
• You'll have a passion for engineering.
• You'll have a desire for the built environment, infrastructure, places and the economy.
• You'll have an enthusiasm for creativity and a drive to solve problems.
• You'll want to inspire us, sharing new ideas you have.

Don't quite meet all the criteria? Should you have the right qualifications for our positions, apply and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities we have available for our Graduate programme.

For further information regarding our Application & Selection process, including timelines for recruitment, please visit our Early Careers brochure
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Application & Selection.

We review applications for our Early Career opportunities on a rolling basis, which means we begin progressing some candidates to the final stages before the application closing date. To ensure your application receives full consideration, we recommend submitting it as early as possible.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.
Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

With us, you can. Apply today.