Helping an overcapacity team at a global built environment consultancy

Arup needs no introduction. There is barely a city or region on earth that hasn’t been shaped by the company to some degree. They are leaders in the built environment and an authority when it comes to large- and small-scale development.

I initially applied for a full-time role at the company, but the length of my notice period made it infeasible. However, they heard I was going freelance and got back in touch about some work they needed doing immediately.

The team was over capacity and had a range of short-term needs that they couldn’t get done. My experience in the sector meant they could trust me to come in and start producing immediately without them needing to spend time and effort on training.

Jumping between a huge range of projects

One of the main benefits of my experience is the ability to work on a wide range of technical projects. This was put to the test by Arup who immediately handed me a diverse range of work including a sponge park in Manchester, a new event centre in Derby, university buildings in Salford and Sheffield, a carbon capture project for BEIS, an advanced manufacturing and research centre in Wales, the refurbishment of York Guildhall, a framework for critical infrastructure resilience and more.

Additionally, I was put to work on reviewing and editing output reports from major events including the Waterline Summit in Hull and the Ideas for South Yorkshire series.

Adding value and earning vital experience along the way

Being able to contribute positively and add value for Arup’s northern teams was a great opportunity that showed me two things. Firstly, how a company of Arup’s standing operates; and secondly, how I needed to work as a freelancer to effectively operate in that world. 

It was a short-term contract where I filled a need, but I took a lot from it that continues to be relevant for current and future clients today.