Ed Harvey

Why did you apply to Severn Trent, and would you recommend a placement year at Severn Trent?

I was recommended to apply to Severn Trent by someone who works here in HR. I would recommend a placement year at Severn Trent depending on what you are interested in doing.

What are you working on at the moment?

My main task over the past month has been to build up a training manual for PrismOps which is the software used to make changes to the Mimics on SCADA. I have now moved on to providing training on how to use the software to Senior ICA Technicians.

I’m also responsible for driving the Prism5 rollout across the major water treatment sites. This includes attending CFAT testing at Servelec, reviewing the new SCADA screens on site with operators, training Operators on how to use the new SCADA system, working with operators to make enhancements to the system and to iron out snags and issues that site are having.

Finally I am working toward handover of a project that involved installing a new High Lift PLC at Little Eaton.

How do you feel about your experiences to date?

At the start of December I was given some work of my own (the prism ops manual). I was sent on a training course up at Servelec and then told to use the software and become an expert in it so that I would be able to deliver training. I really enjoyed this because I was given some real responsibility and because I was the only one in the team that had been on this training I felt like I was actually useful and could contribute. Now that I am doing this scada project and going to site alone working with ops looking at the new scada system comparing it with the old one I’m really enjoying the work. With my current task I get to visit lots of sites, meeting and interacting with lots of people.

Everyone that I work with, both in my team of 5, to the larger specialist team, to all the site staff that I’m meeting, are all really friendly. My team are more than happy to answer any questions I have, and my line manager invests a lot of time in me to check on how I’m getting on and how I’m feeling.

I am enjoying the placement and find the work that I’m doing both challenging and enjoyable.

How have you found the culture of Severn Trent?

The culture at Severn Trent is very positive. Everyone in the specialist team is very approachable and friendly, and are happy to explain to you what they’re doing.

The positive health and safety culture at Severn Trent is great and they do care about your wellbeing. 

Have you been able to meet up regularly with your Line Manager for feedback on the work you’ve completed?

I have at least one long conversation with my line manager a week, normally more. Whether that is him checking how I am getting on, or him explaining something that the team is working on in more detail, such as thermal hydrolysis, he always takes time to speak to me. If he hasn’t seen me for a few days because I’ve been out on site he’ll give me a call towards the end of the day to check how I’ve been getting on.

In terms of feedback, this comes up in our regular conversations when we’ve been discussing what I’ve been doing and he will suggest how I can work on things to get them done better next time or improve how I’m working on them now.

Do you feel as through the contributions you’ve made have added value to Severn Trent?

I feel like an important part of the team. I have been trained in using PrismOps and am the only person in the team who has done this training so am the go-to person when it comes to PrismOps. I am responsible for training a long list of people and I am in charge of the whole process from building the teaching materials to organising the meetings around shift rotas, to providing the training and any support needed afterwards.

What are the main learning points so far during the placement?

• I’ve learnt how to deal with the supply chain in order to get projects delivered on time and how to deal with them when they aren’t doing what they should be.
• I’ve learnt how to use industry standard control software.
• I’ve developed time management and planning skills running a training programme around shift rotas and availability of staff.

Has the placement reached your own expectations so far?

Coming in I didn’t really know what to expect which was the reason that I wanted to do a placement. Being at university I had very little exposure to what jobs in industry involved.  I am enjoying it and it is living up to what I had hoped for.

Are there any other areas of the business you’d like to know more about?

I would be interested to see more of the business side such as the financial and commercial side of the company.

Following your placement, based on your experiences to date, are you interested in pursuing opportunities on our Technical Leadership Programmes, and do you see Severn Trent as a future employer following your graduation?

At the moment I’m still unsure about what I want to do post university. I am going to take a year off after university to do some season work, but would consider working at Severn Trent after that.