Mott MacDonald, anyone with experience?

Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2007
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Anybody on here work for them?
Very large international company, was thinking there may be a chance someone could be working here.
I'm applying for a trainee technician role. It appears to be a mixture of CAD, surveying and general helping with engineering.
The job sounds fantastic, researched the company and it appears to be a very good company to work for and seems and enviable oppurtinity for a career starter.

Can anybody offer advice what they're looking for in a CV or cover letter? "Candidate Specification" looks like they're almost looking for a school leaver, but I've work non related work history and time at uni, and more than match the school grades they're asking for.

I never thought of myself as some-one doing something like engineering, at uni I went for Digital Media, a designer not exactly most intellectual role. But looking back at school I miss the differences and challenge of maths based subjects (maths, physics and technological studies) with the creative ones I loved and was known for.
 
Whilst I've not worked for them I do have 2 friends who work for them. They both really enjoy it, their the pay is good in comparison to rival firms and I believe they offer good benefits to their staff. However they were both made redundant by Mott's a couple of years ago but were re-allocated within the firm (one to LA - lucky sod).

As for the criteria they're looking for. I would assume t would be someone who is willing to learn, is able to quickly pick up the software they use e.g. AutoCAD etc and someone with an understanding of the type of work they perform.

I would suggest researching into the field they are advertising in + the company itself, with regards to the surveying aspect it wouldn't hurt you to do some reading up on levelling/topographical survey although if it's a specialist area e.g. drainage then you may want to research whats involved there.

I actually work for a different consultancy but if you have any questions email in trust and I'll try and get back to you. :)
 
Thanks. If I think of any I'll email you.
The department itself is water.

Here's the add:
https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/asp/tg/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=25141&siteid=5169&areq=5948BR

I've used 3ds Max and autocad and vectorworks, although that's going back to 6years!

As usual it's just what to include in my cover letter is being a hindrance to me. Usually I try and take job or person specifics, think of those as questions needing to be answered then try and answer them with why I would suit the role. But I feel I should be showing them more than just that with this application.
 
Whilst I've not worked for them I do have 2 friends who work for them. They both really enjoy it, their the pay is good in comparison to rival firms and I believe they offer good benefits to their staff. However they were both made redundant by Mott's a couple of years ago but were re-allocated within the firm (one to LA - lucky sod).

As for the criteria they're looking for. I would assume t would be someone who is willing to learn, is able to quickly pick up the software they use e.g. AutoCAD etc and someone with an understanding of the type of work they perform.

I would suggest researching into the field they are advertising in + the company itself, with regards to the surveying aspect it wouldn't hurt you to do some reading up on levelling/topographical survey although if it's a specialist area e.g. drainage then you may want to research whats involved there.

I actually work for a different consultancy but if you have any questions email in trust and I'll try and get back to you. :)

Who do you work for Aero? Out of professional nosey-ness. I work for MWH but we were part of Biwater before they bought us over in 2010.

Couple of our staff left to join Mott's a few years back. One didn't stay long as he didn't like the projects he was working on but the two others are still there although i think one moved into property management department.

OP, a trainee technician role is essentially a school leaver/entry-level position. Assuming they are looking for similar characteristics that I would be it's someone who's physically fit and able, driver, keen and willing to learn. Experience as Aero has pointed out of Asset Surveying, Land and Engineering Surveying would be beneficial but in a trainee role you will be given on the job/external training. Which sector would you be working in, Motts like many others are involved in a variety of different utilities/sectors.

Edit: Just seen you've posted the job spec, I wasn't aware Motts were doing much in Scotland in terms of clean/wastewater modelling these days. Modelling is normally undertaken to assess the capability of the existing water/sewerage network. For clean water models, a field test of pressure loggers is deployed normally on Fire Hydrants/Meters and Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs). Once data has been obtained we create a hydraulic model in Infoworks which accurately replicate the existing network and assess the potential for a development to be built and whether the network can handle the additional demand. Similarly on the wastewater side, flow/depth and velocity monitors are deployed in sewers to obtain data and a model built to replicate the existing network.

Similarly to Aero's offer, I work in Glasgow doing a lot of work with Scottish Water under our framework agreements. Feel free to hit me up with any questions :)
 
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Who do you work for Aero? Out of professional nosey-ness. I work for MWH but we were part of Biwater before they bought us over in 2010.

Couple of our staff left to join Mott's a few years back. One didn't stay long as he didn't like the projects he was working on but the two others are still there although i think one moved into property management department.

OP, a trainee technician role is essentially a school leaver/entry-level position. Assuming they are looking for similar characteristics that I would be it's someone who's physically fit and able, driver, keen and willing to learn. Experience as Aero has pointed out of Asset Surveying, Land and Engineering Surveying would be beneficial but in a trainee role you will be given on the job/external training. Which sector would you be working in, Motts like many others are involved in a variety of different utilities/sectors.

Me being physically fit and able could be pushing it sadly, I suffer from chronic pain affecting my walking abilility. It's for the water department, there's a post a bit further up.
Any idea what career and earning potential is like? Guessing it would be limited due to not having an engineering degree.
 
Look to do a part time diploma course, plus any training they offer you. Look into getting technician grade entry into the Institution of Civil Engineering.

I do not have an engineering degree and have associate membership of the ICE and am an Incorporated Engineer. My current earnings are about 45k + car, pension etc. This is having been in the Industry for over 30 years but my earnings have been fairly in line with inflation for the last 10+ years.
 
Me being physically fit and able could be pushing it sadly, I suffer from chronic pain affecting my walking abilility. It's for the water department, there's a post a bit further up.
Any idea what career and earning potential is like? Guessing it would be limited due to not having an engineering degree.

I started in a similar assistant technician role with Biwater in 2005, my salary has more than doubled and I'm currently in a project manager role with a company car/laptop/mobile. However I put in a lot of external effort in terms of picking up knowledge, studying myself and long hours on occasion.
 
Look to do a part time diploma course, plus any training they offer you. Look into getting technician grade entry into the Institution of Civil Engineering.

Getting an education on the job is something I would look at. I know some big engineering, architect and law firms (the big earners) have occasionaly sponsored a uni place. Not sure if 4years is something for me, I've more or less done that, but getting more certificates for the CV is something I would definately do.

I do not have an engineering degree and have associate membership of the ICE and am an Incorporated Engineer. My current earnings are about 45k + car, pension etc. This is having been in the Industry for over 30 years but my earnings have been fairly in line with inflation for the last 10+ years.

I started in a similar assistant technician role with Biwater in 2005, my salary has more than doubled and I'm currently in a project manager role with a company car/laptop/mobile. However I put in a lot of external effort in terms of picking up knowledge, studying myself and long hours on occasion.

That's all good to know. I know I should be aiming for the stars but knowing my situation realisticly I'd be reaching less. Looking at today's salaries etc it's more than what I thought would've been acheivable.
 
Windle I now officially work for a company called CH2M Hill after a recent take over which was well documented within the NCE.
 
Sorry to throw this into the thread, but you've prompted me to start searching for a job as I finish my mech eng bachelors this year and am looking to go into product design. Could anyone tell me whether they think that, for someone who has a small amount of engineering design experience, starting as a CAD technician would potentially lead to a role as a product designer?

Thanks, dirtychinchilla
 
Starting as a CAD technician will give you experience in producing other peoples designs and possibly lead to useful contacts. The thing is to start with a view to stepping up when you have gained useful experience and telling people what your aims are during appraisals and reviews. It could also lead to industrial training opportunities.

I started as a chain lad on site (holding the idiot end of a tape and knocking in pegs).
 
Windle I now officially work for a company called CH2M Hill after a recent take over which was well documented within the NCE.

Halcrow then, we've got a couple of partnership projects on the go up here in terms of the design side. Worked with your survey team in the past from Edinburgh as well.
 
Starting as a CAD technician will give you experience in producing other peoples designs and possibly lead to useful contacts. The thing is to start with a view to stepping up when you have gained useful experience and telling people what your aims are during appraisals and reviews. It could also lead to industrial training opportunities.

I started as a chain lad on site (holding the idiot end of a tape and knocking in pegs).

Great, thanks a lot for the information.
 
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