Application Processes

Graduates

We welcome self-driven graduates, who have real passion and a burning desire to make things better, onto our two-year graduate programme. As a company, we have some big challenges ahead, and our graduates and apprentices all play a vital role in helping us tackle these head on.

Our graduate programmes focus on setting you up for success. We’ll look at your strengths and qualifications during the selection process and identify the best placement opportunity to help you thrive, rotating within the engineering team or our asset team.

The sheer scale of our major projects and the reactionary nature of our world means that no two days will be the same. You’ll learn and develop alongside world-leading experts, with exceptional professional development that will give you the skills, experience and competencies you need to build a successful and sustainable career.

We’re looking for self-motivated, resilient and proactive individuals who hold great passion for the industry we work in and share our future aspirations.

Application process

1. Applying - Once you’ve decided which vacancy you’d be the best fit for, you’ll need to create an account, answer some questions in our application form and upload your CV. It’s worth doing your research into our values, the company and the role you’re interested in so, if you choose to add a supporting statement, you can tell us why you want to join Thames Water. If you have any requirements for adjustments at any stage, please let us know in your application so we can make sure we can support you. 
2. Screening - We’ll take a look at your CV and application form. We might call you to explore more about your motivation to join Thames Water. We want to help you be at your best throughout the process and when you come and work for us, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or support needs. 
3. Interview and assessment - We’ll invite you to the final stage of the process - our online assessment. You’ll have three activities to do - join a group discussion, an interview with someone from the hiring team and a presentation. We’ll send you everything you need to prepare. If you’ve got any reasonable adjustments for the day, just let us know - we’ll do everything we can to help you perform at your best.

What we're looking for in our graduates

We’ll want to see that you’re driven, eager to learn on the job and confident stepping into new environments. We’re also looking for people whose values reflect ours: reach higher, be better; take care; passionate about everything we do; be respectful and value everyone; be proud, be blue.

Summer interns

If you’re an undergraduate, you’re eligible for our eight-week Summer Intern programme. If you have the behaviours and attitude we’re looking for, we’ll create a tailored project that matches you and your interests and is aligned to a business area at Thames Water.

You’ll have a technical mentor who’s an expert in their field and will help you develop your technical capabilities. You’ll also have an employability mentor to help you get career-ready and develop soft skills.

And it doesn’t end there, all our interns move into our talent pool that feeds into current and future vacancies.

Degree Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship gives you the brilliant combination of practical training, education and real work experience. You ‘earn while you learn’ from skilled and knowledgeable colleagues.

We’ve continued to invest in our apprenticeships, and we offer opportunities across the whole business to new apprentices and our colleagues who want to up-skill. 

It doesn’t matter what skills you have – if you’ve got a passion for knowledge and the drive to manage your learning and working life, a Thames Water apprenticeship could be for you. Our apprenticeship scheme plays an important, central role in helping us nurture local talent and up-skill our existing workforce. That’s why we’re committed to investing in more apprenticeships in the future – so anyone has the opportunity to join us.

Application process

1. Applying - You’ll kick off your apprenticeship application online, telling us a bit about yourself and why you want to join one of our apprenticeship programmes.
2. Interview and assessment - Next, you’ll have a pre-screen interview then attend one of our virtual or in person assessment centres. You’ll have the chance to meet various Thames Water managers, who are all looking forward to meeting you.
3. Onboarding - If you’re successful at the assessment centre, congratulations! You’ll be offered a role on one of our apprenticeship programmes. There will be a contract for you to sign and you’ll get access to our onboarding portal, where you’ll find all the information you need to get ready for your new career.

The skills we're looking for

Throughout the application process, we’ll be looking at how you demonstrate the following skills:

• Listening - receiving, retaining and processing information and ideas
• Speaking - communicating  information and ideas
• Problem solving - finding a solution to a situation or challenge
• Creativity - using your imagination and generating new ideas

The behaviours we're looking for

During the application process, we’ll also be looking for examples of these behaviours:

• Staying positive - using tactics and strategies to overcome setbacks and achieve goals
• Aiming high - setting clear, tangible goals with a robust route to achieving them
• Leadership - supporting, encouraging and developing others to achieve a shared goal
• Teamwork - working collaboratively with others towards a shared goal