This week marks the 15th National Apprentice Week 2022, and throughout this week we are taking the opportunity to celebrate our apprentices!
Our apprentices work alongside our knowledgeable surveyors to gain vital hands on experience, allowing them to develop their skills outside of the classroom as well as providing us with a chance to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with skills essential to this industry.
We have two apprentices, Jack Skinner based in our London office, and Elliot Watson who joined us only last year and is based in our Leeds Office. We sat down with them both and asked them how they are getting on.
Q: What has the highlight of your apprenticeship been so far?
JS: “Been able to work on a variety of new developments, refurbishments and building surveys, giving me vast exposure to the industry across all sectors”
EW: “Going into the North Yorkshire moors and doing surveys up there, the scenery is beautiful, and I liked seeing all the farm animals. It’s been a great first few months, a mix of site visits, office-based tasks and a few nights out with the team as well”
Q: When did you choose to become a Building Surveyor and why did you take the apprentice route into the industry?
JS: “When I left school, I got an apprenticeship where I worked for a local authority providing technical support to building surveyors and engineers. Throughout that I gained interest into what the building surveyors were doing. As soon as I completed that apprenticeship, the first thing I did was look up apprentices in building surveying!”
EW: “I found out about building surveying when I was at sixth form. I liked the idea of desk work, but not been tided to it and getting to travel around and be practical at the same time. I thought the apprentice route was more for me as I get to earn money and gain hands on experience whilst becoming qualified”
Q: How did you get the apprenticeship route with Trident
EW: “I emailed Keith Richards, the Leeds office lead, directly, and asked him if he had ever considered taking on an apprentice. He liked my directness. Then it was a series of team calls with Keith and Jamie Clark, we discussed with my university how this would work in practice and they considered how I’d be a benefit to them. Next thing I know I’m sat at my desk in the office and meeting the whole team!”
Q: What has been the biggest challenge of your apprenticeship? – Has COVID had any affect?
JS: “I do a Chartered Degree Apprenticeship, it can be difficult juggle studying, work and starting my APC. The most common route for a Building Surveyor is to graduate first, and then start their APC. However, I’m doing it all at once and working four days a week! The pandemic has affected the way we all work because of working from home policies, from an apprentice point of view I’ve lost the ability to just shout over the desk to ask any questions, but at the same time has made me work more independently which isn’t a bad thing!”
EW: “The hardest thing is setting time aside to do university work. Working all day four days a week it can be hard to be motivated and disciplined to then start university work, you are tired, and it is so easy to think ‘I’ll do that later’ and leave it all to the last minute. I am fortunate enough that COVID hasn’t had an effect on my learning – Let’s hope that doesn’t change!”
Q: Do you recommend doing an apprenticeship to others?
JS: “Yes! You are much more desirable to employers with not just qualifications, but the experience you have!
EW: “100%! It helps with your degree; I understand things much more easily that come up in my studying as I’ve already seen it in practice”
Both Declan Hard and David Juniper manage Elliot and Jack, ensuring that Trident and both of them get the most out of their time with us. We asked them what it is like managing an apprentice and the benefit to Trident.
Q: What does supporting an apprentice entail?
DH: “I make sure that Elliot gains valuable practical experience within a wide range of tasks that will assist him with his studies. Where suitable, we expose Elliot to tasks that help him put into practice and expand his knowledge in a working environment and provide support and guidance from our own experiences”
Q: What are the benefits to Trident and your office of having an apprentice?
DJ: “As Jack’s manager, I can adapt his training to meet the needs of the business and what projects we are working on at the moment, which allows jack to have a hands-on experience as well as providing us with support”
Everyone at Trident is excited to continue working along side our apprentices as they continue to develop with us. If you wish to contact either Jack or Eliot you can do at jack.skinner@tridentbc.com or elliot.watson@tridentbc.com.
