I’ve always wanted to do a study abroad program, but I couldn’t afford it. Then one day I saw an overseas placement opportunity on InPlace. I was excited because it offered the best of both worlds — the chance to travel and work with a reputed firm. The best part was that it’s paid so I would have enough money to travel around and not worry too much about expenses. It was the first placement I applied for and I was lucky enough to get it.

I worked as an environmental chemist in the Inorganic Geochemistry facility at British Geological Survey. I spent most days working in the aqueous lab analysing and reporting pH/Alk, total organic carbon and major anions results for water samples. I also analysed soil samples for their pH, total mercury concentration and loss on ignition. Many of these methods are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service to standard ISO 17025:2017 for testing and calibration laboratories.

Sahil completed a 12-month work placement overseas as an Environmental Chemist at British Geological Survey.

To be honest, the thought of moving overseas for a year was daunting, but I’m happy with the decision I made. It has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It wasn’t easy settling into a new city but the welcoming BGS staff helped a lot - most of them knew who I was before I arrived. And the support I received from Travis (Placement Manager) has meant a lot to me, I can’t thank him enough.

  • "One of the highlights of my placement was running my own research project — it’s something I really enjoyed."

    Sahil , Bachelor of Science

One of the highlights of my placement was running my own research project — it’s something I really enjoyed. This placement has given me a clear vision of the profession I would like to pursue and I’m looking forward to consulting roles in environmental science.

This placement will help me get a full-time job — the experiences I have gained are incredibly valuable. I’m now aware of the job market and the skills employers are looking for so having a year’s worth of experience under my belt will boost my resume.

There are many reasons to do a professional placement. One of the most important is that the experience gives you a clearer vision of your career. The time I’ve spent working at BGS has helped me realise that I’m more inclined towards engineering science than applied science. I don’t feel as though I would have gotten that clarity with study alone — going into the real world will help you realise what you really want to do.

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