Interview with Undergraduate and Placement Student, Cameron

It’s been 18 months since Cameron Duignan began his placement year as part of his university studies.

At its core, this experience with IES has been about gaining real-world industry insight and developing professional skills beyond the classroom. We caught up with Cameron to hear more about his journey so far and how the placement has shaped his perspective on working life and his future goals.

Working Towards a Business & Marketing Degree

Cameron is currently in his final year studying Business and Marketing at Northumbria University in Newcastle, having spent his placement year with IES in a business development role. Whilst the title suggests a specific focus, Cameron has embraced opportunities to work across a variety of projects, gaining a broad understanding of the utilities industry.

“While my role is technically in business development, I’ve had the chance to get involved in a wide range of projects across the company. That variety has been one of the most valuable parts of the placement as I’ve not been restricted to one area.”

Motivated by a strong belief in the value of real-world experience, Cameron saw the placement year as a crucial step in bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application. With a particular interest in exploring new industries, Cameron was drawn to the utilities sector, a field he hadn’t previously considered.

“I’ve always felt that hands-on learning is more important than anything. You can only get so much from lectures and being in a real business environment teaches you things you’d never pick up in a classroom.”

“My goal for my placement is that I wanted work in an industry completely new to me, and IES have really opened my eyes. I got to attend the Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival as an exhibitor, which was a huge highlight as well as visiting some of our business partners in Germany.”

The experience has opened Cameron to the potential of a career in utilities, especially after learning about the industry’s resilience and long-term job security.

Reflecting on the journey, Cameron says, “If you don’t plan on doing a placement year or a year abroad, you’re robbing yourself of an experience that’ll last a lifetime.”

Describe your experience of working at IES

“My first role during my placement was in the business development part of IES, where I learnt a lot about the initial stages of bidding / tendering on opportunities that our clients publish. Since then, my role has been ever changing, giving me the best possible opportunity to show off my skills and see what I work best with.”

“Having an early start and set working times, helped me put together a solid routine meaning I’m always busy but not overwhelmed.”

Like many students, Cameron had concerns about what a placement year might involve “Based on some other people’s experience on placement, I was scared I was going to be making cups of tea for the bosses for a year but thankfully that hasn’t happened, instead I’ve been able to learn more about the utilities industry that I expected. Turns out it’s so much more than just pipes in the ground or cables above your head, there is so much more that goes into keeping people connected than I ever appreciated.”

IES Utilities Group are currently looking for highly motivated individuals to join our upcoming future careers pathway. If you or someone you know could be interested.

Check out our careers page at https://www.careers-page.com/ies-utilities-group-ltd to see our latest opportunities.