Richard Lebon MSc Civil Engineering

Design engineer for Mott McDonald

Hi, I'm Richard Lebon and I studied MSc Civil Engineering within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.

The MSc in Civil Engineering is very well-taught by lecturers who have experience in the real world, and there is the right balance of theory and application.

"I've combined my academic studies for my Master's in Civil Engineering at the University of Southampton with a year-long placement at Mott McDonald.

"My first degree was a BA in Geography at Cambridge, then I became an aid worker working overseas. I often got involved in logistics, building health centres and houses and became interested in Civil Engineering. As a student, I had also worked on building sites so thought this would be a good career choice when I came back to the UK.

"I chose Southampton because I wanted to take a postgraduate degree in one year. The MSc in Civil Engineering is very well-taught by lecturers who have experience in the real world, and there is the right balance of theory and application. Many of my fellow students have come into the industry from other walks of life and I expect to keep in touch with them as my career develops.

"At present I'm working as a design engineer for Mott McDonald, in their partnership with Balfour Beatty to manage trunk roads in Kent and Sussex. They have supported me through my degree."