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Opportunity to learn, but not fairly compensated for advancment or recognized for progress - Engineer Atkins Employee Review

1.0
Jan 14, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Atkins provides the opportunity to work on many large, high profile projects. I have had a great learning experience and have advanced extremely fast in my specialty.

Cons

Salary is still less than average for an entry level engineer in my area (0 experience) despite being given full responsibility to deliver projects. Often times I am given more responsiblity than senior engineers making more than twice my salary who just happen to be tight enough in the old boy network that they can keep their jobs without producing much at all. When budgets get spent, they rely on me and other "entry level engineers" to work for free to get the jobs finished even though the people making 120k-150k are clearly the ones blowing the budgets. This abuse of young engineers seems to be systematic within the North American company. I have worked in three states under five different managers and they all seem to handle the issue in the same way. I have also seen more than a few highly competent young engineers leave the company at their first chance for the same reasons. Asked to not charge overtime and not record all hours worked even when there is budget left. Profits from projects are taken from the group to cover other underperforming groups. Need to put in extra effort to make up for incompetancies in higher level technical staff. I feel that my skills are highly abused and taken advantage of.

Explore other reviews about Atkins

5.0
Oct 13, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A lot of work to be done Many opportunities to try different things

Cons

Advancement can be hard Working alongside underperformers

2.0
Nov 17, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Job and a paycheck but in a house of cards.

Cons

Wow, be careful! Atkins North America was acquired when Atkins in London bought a notorious US engineering based in Florida, PBS&J (Post, Buckley, Shuh and Jernigan). I didn't do enough research when hired and found out too late I was working for a company that has been prosecuted multiple times for serious illegalities, and some of the executives who participated but escaped prosecution are still there! PBS&J has been indicted for bribing government officials, illegal campaign contributions, and was a private company put on the chopping blocks to sell for being so poorly managed when several of the employees embezzled millions upon millions of dollars. As recent as 2016 the company was struggling financially because of legal costs and fines to the extent the focus became finishing out existing contracts rather than procuring new ones...an indicator they do not want new business and are likely to chop off the US engineering wing and spin those employees out to another company. Do your research before accepting a job there, the good old boy network that didn't previously get caught or prosecuted in the illegalities is still working there, and they haven't changed much in being secretive about what they are doing!! Get everything in writing as they are all about the bait and switch.

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