A day in the life of a graduate at Arup

Hi, I'm Alicia, a graduate working in the climate and sustainability team in Arup's Singapore office. I have been working at Arup for around two years. Originally from Indonesia, I studied mechanical engineering with a specialisation in energy and sustainability at National University of Singapore (NUS).

Here is a typical day for me at Arup:

7.30am: I wake up and take public transport around 8:00am. I either take the MRT or the express bus, which takes about 30 minutes to reach the office. 

8.30am: Upon arriving at the office, I have a small breakfast, usually consisting of office biscuits and hot chocolate or coffee from the pantry. Sometimes our colleagues who have travelled recently add snacks they have bought back as gifts for the team which are always a treat!  

9.00am: By 9am I’m well underway with work which usually includes various tasks related to carbon accounting and other sustainability projects. Today, I have an online meeting with colleagues and client representatives from Melbourne, Sydney, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Arup is a global firm where we share learnings and innovations with colleagues from around the world to help us tackle complex problems and unlock solutions for clients, making it a great opportunity to collaborate and learn. 

At around 12:30pm, my team and I go to a nearby hawker centre for lunch. We’re based in the CBD so the food can be expensive, but this is a delicious affordable option. I get the mixed veg and meat dish and we all take away the food and eat together at the office terrace. I value these lunch breaks as they allow me to get to know my colleagues on a personal level, discussing weekend plans and holidays, which helps build stronger team relationships. 

1.30pm: In the afternoon, I continue with my work. One of the projects I am particularly excited about is working with the Ministry of Public Works in Indonesia. We are developing a tool to calculate carbon emissions for various infrastructure assets, such as wastewater systems, roads, bridges, dams, irrigation, water supply and solid waste management. Being from Indonesia, this project is very close to my heart as it allows me to make a difference in my community by helping to decarbonise infrastructure assets and create a more sustainable built environment. 

6.00pm: I finish work around 6:00 pm and head out to meet friends around the CBD area before heading home. A couple of my friends also work in the CBD so it’s a chance to socialise and share stories and experiences from the day.

7.00pm: To get home I jump on public transport. Singapore is really well connected so I can easily access nearby malls connected to the MRT stations. Tonight, I grab Japanese skewers snack and enjoy a walk home from the mall, which is very close to my place. During my walk, I call my family in Indonesia to catch up, and stroll around the parks before heading back home.

For more information about Arup, visit https://www.arup.com/.

Alicia

A day in life of Alicia at Arup