Insights Nurturing leaders in nuclear & power: life as an Assistant Engineer inside Atkins

Building careers and cultivating talents: a look into Atkins Nuclear & Power.

Hi! My name is Laura Barlow, and I'm an Assistant Engineer at Atkins, a member of the AtkinsRéalis Group. I joined Atkins Sheffield in August 2020 as a Mechanical Engineer. And here I am, writing this from my hot desk in the Reactor Operations & Decommissioning Team in Nuclear & Power (N&P).

Atkins Sheffield: fostering growth and nurturing aspirations

The office culture here at Atkins Sheffield feels really special. Everyone is friendly and approachable, including the senior team. When discussing opportunities with managers, they constantly find new ways to encourage us to grow and develop skills. You can achieve your goals in this environment, no matter how difficult they seem. Since starting, I've worked on a huge range of projects and clients, including EDF, Rolls-Royce, and Babcock!



My evolution: trust, growth, and leadership

At Atkins, you are trusted to manage your time and work to deliver exceptional results, providing ample opportunities to grow in your role. Since starting at Atkins Sheffield, my technical and soft skills, such as giving presentations and managing client relationships, have dramatically improved. I've recently become a line manager! And I'm keen to deliver the same kind of support to the people in my team that I was given when I started.

STEM outreach: Paying it forward to the next generation

I am also an ambassador for local STEM outreach within the Sheffield office, which enables me to positively impact the local community through my work. Over the past few years, I've managed the Atkins Sheffield work experience program for students aged 14 to 18 and supported local school and university activities encouraging young people into STEM. I'm particularly enthusiastic about events for women and girls in STEM. When I was at school, seeing positive female role models in the industry gave me some of the drive I needed to pursue a career in STEM.



Beyond work: our vibrant social and volunteer culture

Another really positive aspect of Atkins Sheffield is the social culture. Our team organizes regular social and sports events, including pottery painting, squash, climbing, darts, and walks in the Peak district. These events are open to all and not only provide a fun activity but also give you a chance to meet people in the office that you might not normally interact with in your day-to-day work. We also have access to two volunteering days each year. This year, I've used mine to volunteer for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and build a fence from Hazel that we'd cut down earlier in the day.

Wrapping up, my journey at Atkins has been nothing short of amazing. Join us as we engineer a brighter future with exciting roles across Nuclear & Power. We're hiring, so apply now and grow with us.