Starting a Career in Flood Risk: A Graduate's First-Year Experience

Starting Out

I started working at FPS Environmental as a Graduate Flood Risk Consultant in July 2024 and have just completed my first year with the company. I’ve already had opportunities to undertake a wide range of projects alongside continuous training and development, a balance that has promoted both theoretical and practical skills. I would definitely recommend this role to any graduates considering a career in the environmental industry and looking to pursue a hybrid of technical report writing and site surveying.

Building the Foundations

My training began with the Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Foundation Course from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). This gave me the building blocks to start developing my skills in PFR surveys and report writing, while also initiating my goal of working towards CIWEM chartership. I was really pleased to complete the first stage of this goal by achieving Graduate CIWEM membership during my first couple of months.

From Training to Independent Work

My first site work and reports began in September 2024, with shadowing and in-depth training from a colleague on completing Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) surveys. This progressed to a couple of months in Gloucestershire, where I completed 55 solo surveys and reports. It was amazing to be able to produce work for the company so soon after joining,  a real credit to the quality of training I received and continue to receive from my colleagues and CIWEM.

Working on Major Projects

In November 2024, I had the opportunity to work on the ongoing Erringden Project in Hebden Bridge, undertaking PFR surveys alongside the Environment Agency (EA) and Watertight. I learnt so much through networking with the EA and Watertight, gaining insight into how the full project operated and where my role as a surveyor fitted in. I’ve since had the opportunity to work on further Environment Agency PFR Framework projects in Stockdalewath and Parbold.

Expanding My Skills

My training has been continuous since first learning about PFR, and I have since progressed from DEFRA surveys to completing Flood Mitigation Surveys, Homebuyers Surveys, and most recently, Flood Risk Assessments. I’ve really enjoyed seeing my progression over the last year,  from asking constant questions of my very patient and amazing colleagues for every report, to being able to carry out complex surveys and their associated technical reports independently.

Learning from Every Project

I’ve also had the opportunity to work on Section 19 and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) projects with my colleagues, during which I’ve been able to learn from them as well as contribute to the work. Working on the South Derbyshire District Council SFRA was particularly challenging yet rewarding, as I used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to a level beyond my university training to produce mapping for the project. This experience honed my existing skills and developed new abilities in the software, which I’m excited to build on in future projects.

Looking Ahead

It’s been a very busy first year of learning and being challenged to push my boundaries in the most positive way. Alongside developing my flood risk knowledge, the wide range of training in sales, industry legislation, and strategic thinking has promoted a holistic approach to producing high-quality work for the company. I’m looking forward to further progression in the skills I’ve acquired over the past year, continuing my journey towards CIWEM chartership, and one day mentoring future graduates to the high standard that my colleagues have set for me.

Written by Emma Robertson, Assistant Flood Risk Consultant – BSc Hons Grad CIWEM

27th October 2025