Alyssa

Alyssa's STORY

Technical Coordinator , FCC

Technical Coordinator
FCC

Alyssa studied geography at university where she developed a strong interest in sustainability and the environment.

FCC Environment is driven to create a more sustainable, better future – for our communities, our planet, and future generations.

Whether it’s thinking outside the box to turn waste into resources, engineering ideas that change the way things get done or dreaming up a scientific formula that cracks a problem wide open, a career with FCC allows you to turn imagination into climate action.

We spoke to some of our recent Graduate Trainees to ask them why they joined the business and how they are finding their first few months working in the environmental sector.

What do you do and where do you do it?

I am a Technical Coordinator for Landfill Leachate.

I spend my days between certain sites and being office-based (Landfill site visits, Doncaster office or Gowy Landfill office).

Why is your role important?

Leachate is the waste liquid that is generated from landfills. It is a mix of decomposed waste and rainfall ingress. It is the biggest cost to the landfill division and something that keeps costing the business even on closed sites after operations have long stopped.

We also have a legal responsibility to manage leachate, regulated by the Environment Agency. This means FCC would suffer consequences if the leachate was not managed, as well as the environment as well, such as through contamination. Therefore, my role is important to find the best ways to manage all the leachate our sites produce, reduce new leachate generation, find solutions to leachate-related problems before they become an issue, and help the company reduce costs in this area.

Which parts of the job do you enjoy most/ find most rewarding?

I enjoy when I’m given projects with a mathematical base, such as cost analyses. I find it rewarding to calculate my findings and use them to make recommendations to sites.

I also enjoy site visits as I get to be out of an office environment, meet new people, and see for myself what is going on at sites without having to rely on photos and drawings.

What path did you use to get to the position you hold today?

I joined FCC via the Graduate scheme.

What did you do before?

I was a university student, working part-time as a lifeguard.

What attracted you to join the energy and utilities sector? Why is your current position better/ more satisfying?

Having studied geography at university, I was interested in the sustainability and environmental side of the sector. Now I get to be reassured about the impacts the sector has on the world around us and explore ways to minimise these impacts.

What are you most passionate about?

I am passionate about sustainable development and reducing the impacts humans have on our environment and climate.

What do you think of the career prospects? Have you had much training and development?

I’ve had a lot of training and development during my time at FCC, including studying for an apprenticeship qualification in Team Leading/Supervising, which has made me feel more confident about my future career prospects despite being relatively new to the industry.

What does an average day consist of?

As I’m a hybrid worker my day varies. Some days I’m working from home doing tasks such as data management and report writing. Some days I visit landfill sites, walking around with the site staff looking at infrastructure and environmental conditions, discussing problems and trying to come up with solutions.

Would you recommend your job to a friend and why?

Yes, as I always feel well-supported in my work and development in the company. Sometimes it is challenging but that’s what makes it rewarding.

We hope you enjoyed reading about our Graduate’s journeys with FCC thus far and if joining FCC sounds like it is up your street, we would love to hear from you.

To find out more about our Graduate & Apprenticeship schemes and how to apply, please visit: https://www.fccenvironment.co.uk/careers/early-careers/

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– Alyssa Craggs

Technical Coordinator

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