Civil engineering degree personal statement example (1i) work experience

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Building structures out of straw bales when growing up on a farm was my first chance to design on a large scale. Ensuring my creations were both interesting and stable was a challenge that really captured my imagination. Combining this enthusiasm with my long standing appreciation of the sciences and maths suggested I would enjoy a career in civil engineering; my experiences whilst at Mott Macdonald and Headstart confirmed this.

A wide range of disciplines in civil engineering interest me particularly environmental, water and geotechnical engineering. The way that water engineering could play a part in solving the global problem of water scarcity demonstrates how an engineer can influence major issues. Seeing an example of this in Ghana during my work experience was a major inspiration for me.

I would really enjoy being part of an industry with the opportunity to reach across to so many varied groups. The idea of different groups of people working together was reflected at a recent talk I went to on carbon and the oil industry. It stressed the importance of engineers, governments and the public working collaboratively to solve problems.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Having enjoyed my Maths AS level I started AS Further Maths this year, joining the Further Maths group, independently working on topics they had already covered and especially enjoying Mechanics. Practical uses of Maths such as the application of matrices in studying framed structures is something I have enjoyed gaining an overview of. I hope to study this in further depth, during my degree. After studying environmental issues in my Geography AS level I separately looked in to the reduction of emissions from the production and running of projects. Certain projects, such as the “Round 3” offshore wind energy programme actively work towards lower carbon dioxide emissions; reading about work on foundations at such an ambitious depth was especially interesting to me.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

I took part in a Headstart engineering course. One group activity involved designing a waterslide for a park. We considered the structure of the slide, cost of parts, effect of scale on speed and predicted profit. This was a perfect opportunity for me to experience a range of applications of maths. The aim was to sell our idea for approval in competition with other groups. I was able to see that bouncing ideas off each other as a group and problem solving together proved very successful.

Undertaking two weeks’ work experience at Mott Macdonald enabled me to work on an ongoing sewage treatment project. I was surprised to see the variety of tasks necessary to complete the project; I looked at flooding levels for the structures, design of kiosks to house electrical components and the number and placement of wastewater drains by calculating the gradients along the road. I was excited to see my sketches of the electrical kiosks would be used in the planning application process.

I was also able to work with a group looking at an internationally funded project in Ghana, improving the clean water supply to small communities. I put together maps of the villages to visit and assess. The isolation of the communities concerned made me see how globally important civil engineering is, especially to developing countries. Reading at home, I looked at the rapid expansion of some African countries such as Uganda and Zambia. I was interested to see how this is opening up opportunities for firms to work on infrastructure in these areas and benefit local people.

Learning the violin over the last twelve years I have gained the ability to keep a sense of perspective in my studies, working daily whilst concentrating on a longer term aim. As a result I recently passed my grade eight and have played in my county youth orchestra for the last four years. I am highly motivated to do well, with a strong work ethic and am used to balancing demanding work commitments in a bakery (starting at 5.45am) with staying focussed and achieving academically.

Universities applied to:

• University of Sheffield (Civil Engineering MEng)
• Bristol University (Civil Engineering MEng)
• University of Bath (Civil Engineering MEng)
• Manchester University (Civil Engineering MEng)
• Newcastle University (Civil Engineering MEng)

Grades achieved:

• Maths (A2) - A*
• Physics (A2) - A
• Chemistry (A2) - A
• Further Maths (AS) - A

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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