You'll get stuck there if you are a junior engineer and want to make your way up. - Design Engineer ALTEN Employee Review

2.0
Apr 17, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good only for first years after graduation, working for top tech companies.

Cons

Almost impossible to make your way up in the technical side of the business. Forget about having a change in your job title even if you are doing a complete different thing to what you were hired for, even if you have much more responsibilities. Extra work is paid in bonuses and with very unfair amounts. They say they look after you but the only thing they care about is money. Be prepared to start working in Chester and 6 months later move to Bristol or Derby, because they'll do with you whatever they want. Alten is one of the cheapest companies to their customers and that affects your salary, which will be one of the lowest in the market.

avatar
ALTEN Response
5y
Thank you for you review. We are striving to create a collaborative and inspiring environment for all our employees so I am sorry to hear about your feedback. As a growing company, receiving feedback is a priority in order to ensure a long lasting development and we will continue to find ways to improve. However, I wanted to address a couple of your specific concerns here. Career development is at the core of the ALTEN model and is managed thoroughly by dedicated Career Managers ensuring the continuity of the development of each consultant. This Career Management scheme is materialised by an Integration Meeting after the start of each engineer, and then by an individual quarterly follow-up in order to ensure both your career and your project are going in the right direction. Each year is wrapped-up by a formal Annual Appraisal during which numerous topics are tackled such Skills Development, Salary, Career Progression, Training... Developing and retaining our talents is one of our top priorities, this is why we offer the opportunity to our employees to develop throughout one our several of our career paths, which cover: Expertise, Management, Business and Support Functions. This wide range of possibilities enables our employees to benefit from a bespoke career plan, which is created together with their manager. Progression is supported through training and development programs. To address your point about “making your way up”, at Alten everything is performance driven. We expect our engineers to strive towards excellence and deliver to high standards first, to be eligible to rewards such as bonuses or promotions. Talking to hundreds of engineers and customers every month enables us to have an accurate vision and understanding of the market. Alten is continuously ensuring a relevant alignment between our salary policy and the UK market. This alignment is performed through the continuous collaboration of our Recruitment and HR teams. We have many customer sites within the UK with a vast amount of exciting projects. Throughout your career, managers will present potential project opportunities to their engineers if they think it is a good fit or if the existing project is ending. Managers will take into consideration any concerns the engineer might have, i.e. relocating to a different part of the UK. ALTEN provides support to any employee who relocates. Thank you for your ongoing contribution and feedback. Please be sure that we are committed to continuously improving career development at ALTEN LTD.

Explore other reviews about ALTEN

5.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I have been with the company for several years and have had a very positive experience overall. The company offers strong opportunities for career growth, especially for employees who are proactive, take ownership, and consistently deliver results. Internal mobility and leadership opportunities are available for those looking to advance their careers. Compensation is competitive within the industry, and performance is generally recognized and rewarded. While there is always room for improvement, I feel that the company provides fair compensation and good opportunities to increase earnings through career progression. Management is supportive and accessible. As with any growing organization, I have found leadership to be committed to employee development and business success. There is a strong entrepreneurial culture that encourages initiative and accountability. One of the biggest strengths of the company is the variety of projects and clients. Employees have the opportunity to work across different industries, technologies, and business environments, which helps accelerate professional development and keeps the work interesting. Pros: * Strong career development opportunities * Diverse and challenging projects * Supportive and entrepreneurial culture * Exposure to a wide range of industries and clients Overall, I would recommend this company to professionals looking for growth, responsibility, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Cons

Fast-paced environment that requires adaptability High expectations for performance and ownership

3.0
Jun 17, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

• Talented employees who genuinely care about customers, consultants, and each other. • Strong technical expertise and exposure to large, complex client programs. • Opportunity to learn resilience, problem-solving, and how to operate in challenging environments. • Significant growth potential if organizational barriers can be addressed. • Many good people working hard to achieve success despite limited resources.

Cons

• Decision-making is often highly centralized and slow, limiting agility and responsiveness to market realities. • Leaders are frequently held accountable for ambitious growth objectives without corresponding authority, resources, or support. • Heavy emphasis on activity tracking, reporting, and process can outweigh focus on outcomes and execution. • Limited willingness to challenge long-standing practices, even when market conditions or employee feedback suggest change is needed. • Leadership diversity and diversity of thought remain opportunities for improvement. • Employee concerns are not always translated into meaningful action, which can contribute to disengagement and turnover.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All