“The experience has strengthened my interest in risk management and environmental consultancy while providing insight into a potential future career path.”
At RAB Consultants, we are committed to supporting students at the start of their career journeys, providing opportunities to gain valuable insight into professional environments and develop practical skills. Whether through work experience, apprenticeships, placements, or other early-career opportunities.
As part of this, we recently welcomed Fraser Taylor, an Environmental Geoscience student from the University of Bristol for a work placement. During his time with us, he contributed to a diverse range of projects across both our Resilience and Flood Risk sectors. His work spanned flood risk and drainage, property flood resilience, engineering, business continuity and providing valuable technical and practical support across a wide variety of projects. He worked closely with colleagues to help develop effective, practical solutions to manage and reduce risk, while also contributing to the wider development of our services and technical knowledge.
Here, he shares his experience and some of the key areas he explored during his time with us.
Getting to Know the Industry
During my time at RAB Consultants, I was involved in a variety of projects that provided valuable insight into the consultancy industry and its role in helping organisations manage risk and make informed decisions.
One of my responsibilities was researching potential businesses that could benefit from RAB’s services. This involved identifying opportunities across a range of sectors, including fire engineering, industrial operations, planning and architecture. Through this work, I developed a greater understanding of how consultancy businesses identify clients and build relationships within different industries.
A Practical Introduction to Health and Safety
I also assisted with risk assessments and life jacket inspections, which highlighted the importance of health and safety within a professional environment. These activities helped me appreciate the practical measures organisations take to manage risks and ensure compliance with safety standards.
Exploring Flood Risk and Resilience
A particularly interesting aspect of my placement was analysing flood maps and case studies to identify areas vulnerable to flooding. By reviewing mapping data and examining potential risk areas, I gained a better understanding of how flood risk is assessed, communicated and managed. It was fascinating to see how this information supports planning decisions and resilience measures, providing me with valuable insight into one of RAB’s key service areas.
Getting Creative with Business Continuity
I was tasked with designing a promotional poster for RAB’s Business Continuity Modelling services aimed at small businesses. This project required me to research the benefits of business continuity planning and present key information in a clear, engaging format.
Developing the poster enhanced my Canva design skills and gave me practical experience in creating professional marketing materials. It also helped me gain a deeper understanding of how organisations can prepare for disruptions, minimise risks and maintain operations during unexpected events.
Creating Realistic Training Scenarios
Another rewarding project involved helping to create realistic business continuity training scenarios. I produced mock news reports, social media content and AI-generated materials based on disruptive events that could impact organisations.
It was interesting to see how these resources are used to test response plans, decision-making processes and communication strategies. Through this work, I developed my digital content creation skills while gaining a greater appreciation of crisis management and organisational resilience.
From Environmental Geoscience to Environmental Risk Management
I am currently studying Environmental Geoscience at the University of Bristol and will begin my final year this autumn. My degree combines elements of geology, geography, and environmental science, providing an understanding of how natural processes influence the environment and the way society develops and manages it.
Throughout my studies, I have explored topics including hydrology, climate change, surface environmental evolution, soil and water systems, and natural hazards. These subjects have strengthened my interest in environmental risk management and in finding practical, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to environmental challenges. Looking ahead, I will be returning to Bristol to complete my final year, where I have chosen geophysics as the focus of my dissertation.
Helping to Shape a Future Career
Overall, my placement at RAB Consultants gave me a valuable understanding of the work involved in flood risk, resilience and business continuity projects, as well as the wider role of consultants in supporting clients across a range of sectors. The experience has strengthened my interest in risk management and environmental consultancy while providing insight into a potential future career path.
If you are a looking for a job in the resilience or flood risk industry, we are currently recruiting for roles in this sector. We are looking for an Assistant Resilience Consultant and a Project Support Officer. For more information on these roles and other vacancies across the business, click here to head to our careers page and apply!