Earlier this week, we spoke with Tristan Dodwell-Cooke about his first six months as an apprentice for National Apprenticeship Week (NAW).
Today, we’re catching up with Elliot Watson, Apprentice Building Surveyor in our Leeds office. Having joined the team in September 2021, Elliot is further along in his journey to becoming a chartered building surveyor
Then vs. Now
If you’ve followed us for a while, you may have seen Elliot’s previous NAW features, in which he has shared his experiences each year.
Almost four years on, Elliot has come a long way. “I am a lot more confident in my knowledge and limitations” he explains. “I have the confidence to ask questions when I’m unsure”.
He adds, “My workload has developed along with me, looking back I have now started to work more independently”
The apprenticeship advantage
The benefits of apprenticeships are that you combine university studying, with on-the-job experience. Elliot has been working alongside our team of expert surveyors in Leeds on a range of projects.
“Industry based experience is the most invaluable skill I have.” Elliot explains “Being able to relate concepts or processes to real life experiences enables me to understand things more quickly”
Personal highlight
Working in our Leeds team, Elliot has contributed to various projects across a range of sectors, helping to deliver the full spectrum of our services
“My personal highlight would be leading some of the school refurbishment jobs, gaining my first taste of independent working” Elliot confesses. “Also passing every university assignment so far, that’s been a relief”
Advice for new apprentices
This week, we have also spoken with Tristan, our newest apprentice who joined only 6 months ago. We asked Elliot if he had any advice for Tristan and others starting an apprenticeship.
“Enjoy it! It’s a really great route to becoming a chartered building surveyor as you earn and study at the same time, with work and studies aiding one another.” Elliot shares “The ability to draw from real life experiences when carrying out university studies has allowed me to understand processes and concepts more easily”
Find out more
Want to find out more about our apprenticeship programme? Please click here to visit our work with us page.
If you would like to get in touch with Elliot, please email: elliot.watson@tridentbc.com.