My Stantec Story: Exploring the role of a graduate planner with Maeve Whelan
July 10, 2024
Maeve shares her experience as a graduate planner in our Leeds office
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In the My Stantec Story series, our designers, engineers, marketers, project managers, and leaders come together to share how their career journeys at Stantec have shaped their lives and moved them closer to their goals.
Tell us about your role…
I work as a graduate planner in the Leeds office. As planners, we collaborate with developers and a variety of technical teams to gain planning permission for various developments, helping to determine if they are sustainable, comply with regulations, and benefit communities. Our role includes navigating planning policy and regulations, preparing planning applications, advising on land use, and project management.
What attracted you to a career at Stantec?
Stantec’s national and international reach and reputation allow for work on major projects with renowned clients. For those early in their careers, Stantec offers strong support to develop professional qualifications and attend various events for career progression. Stantec’s knowledge sharing and growth opportunities make it a great place for personal and professional development.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Since joining Stantec, I've enjoyed working on major projects in my region and nationwide. Given the wide variety of projects my team works on, every day is different. One morning I can be working on a solar farm in Kent and in the afternoon a settlement extension in Yorkshire. This makes the role very exciting and challenging. As town planning consultants, we work closely with developers and technical teams, and I have really enjoyed meeting many different people as part of this.
How has your personal and professional development been supported at Stantec?
The wider Graduate Programme at Stantec is structured with a calendar of learning modules focused on both professional and personal growth. Outside of this, my managers have a clear understanding of my expected career development, which provides me with day-to-day support. As a graduate, I have performance reviews every six months, which has been very helpful to see that I’m meeting my manager’s expectations, and vice versa.
Internal groups like the Developing Professionals Group (DPG) provide opportunities to expand professional knowledge across sectors and help form connections within the company. Additionally, monthly socials and a dedicated social committee help foster relationships and boost confidence. These initiatives create a supportive environment for development and networking.
What has been the standout project for you during your time at Stantec?
A standout project I have worked on during my time as Stantec has been the Aire Park redevelopment in Leeds. It’s a major urban regeneration project at Leeds South Bank that will deliver a 24-acre mixed-use district cantered around an 8-acre park. The scale and multidisciplinary nature of the project have provided me with valuable opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills across various applications.
What are your ambitions for your future at Stantec?
I have a clear pathway for my career and promotions within the next few years, and I hope to meet all the targets I have set for myself in respect to this. I’m currently working towards chartership which I hope to achieve this year. Regarding projects and daily work, I really enjoy the variety and scale of projects I work on and so I’d like to continue this work into future.
What are your passions outside of work?
I moved to Leeds from Cambridge around 18 months ago. Since then, I have been enjoying getting to know the city better. This has involved a lot of eating my way around some of Leeds’s great food and drink spots. Yorkshire is great for walking, so I’ve really got into hiking and enjoying the countryside.
Why should others join the Stantec team?
As a graduate planner, my professional and personal confidence has grown through the opportunity to work on some of the most exciting and varied projects within our discipline, a structured graduate training programme, support for career progression, and opportunities to meet a variety of people both within and outside of Stantec. As such, it’s a great place for people early in their career to join.
At Stantec, we put people first. For Maeve, that means support from her manager and colleagues in growing professionally.