Daniel Cook

Civil Engineering, London Underground.
Joined September 2007

Testing the water on site

Currently I'm working within the Engineering Directorate, which involves a bit of time in the office and some on-site work too. When I visit a site, which can be any type of live Underground construction site, I'll carry out an inspection, meet with onsite engineering teams to get project updates and then feed the information back to the directorate. Most of the graduate placements start at the base of your host discipline to help you feel at home and comfortable before being sent off on site. As time goes on I'll spend more time on site - my next placement will be on the East London Line extension.

Right at the heart of London's most exciting projects

One of the best things about the job is the fact that you get the chance to gain an insight into the huge projects that are going on around London, which is a rare opportunity. You're involved with some of the most exciting, high-profile projects in the country, like the Tottenham Court Road Development, Crossrail and of course the Olympics. In a way we're currently experiencing the calm before the storm. All these projects are just about to kick off, and when they all do, things are likely to become even more exciting - and you get to be part of that.

Taking control of my own project early on

Taking control of my own project early onIn my last placement I carried out a piece of interesting research for London Underground. I was looking into the frequency of, and reasons for bridge strikes - which is a big problem for TfL and other agencies, like Network Rail too. The project was fairly self-contained and I worked mainly on my own, but at the end I presented my findings to the National Bridge Strike Prevention Group. It was a really good opportunity to be in the company of some very experienced and senior people.

Knowing exactly what it takes to work on the front line at London Underground

Many graduates on the course carry out an Operations placement in a station on the front-line. It may only last for one or two months, but it enables you to gain a real understanding of the work that London Underground do, so you're never in danger of missing the point. TfL do well to ensure you realise how much you're improving things for the Underground, and therefore for Londoners. I'm very glad that I joined TfL - definitely. It's not all amazing of course, it's hard work and there have definitely been challenges, but the people are lovely and I enjoy my job. I think TfL offer a rewarding and interesting career. I know I made the right choice.