Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?

I chose to do an apprenticeship as I wanted the opportunity to earn an income whilst studying. I had always wanted to travel Australia and throughout my five-year apprenticeship I was able to save up enough money to fund my travels. This is something I wouldn’t have been able to do if I had gone to university. I was also really lucky that VolkerStevin allowed me to take a sabbatical from work and my line manager was incredibly supportive of my decision and the new experiences it would bring to me.

What are the benefits of an apprenticeship?

One of the main benefits for me was the opportunity to work with experienced engineers, who not only gave me support with my apprenticeship but also gave me guidance with my transition from college into the workplace. Being able to apply my learning from university into practical situations was also beneficial for me, as it allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of what I was studying.

Due to VolkerStevin’s Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) approved training scheme, I was also able to sign off my ICE attributes throughout my apprenticeship. This allowed me to sit my professional review within six months of graduating and achieve my IEng status.

What have you achieved since completing your apprenticeship?

I have now worked at VolkerStevin for over six years and have had the opportunity to work on numerous projects, each project has provided me with new experiences and allowed me to further develop my skills. I have been promoted twice since graduating and I am now a Senior Engineer.

I have also had the opportunity to be a part of a pilot scheme with VolkerWessels UK, ‘Empowering Women’. The scheme brings women together from across the business and supports them with creating action plans to achieve their goals.

I intend to continue learning and developing my skills as I work towards my chartership and become a Chartered Engineer.

What advice would you give to others considering an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a great way to earn and learn! You will meet people at work, but you will also get the chance to meet people who are at university studying and going through the same experiences as you. It can be challenging at times to juggle university with your workload, however it is completely worth it. At the end of my degree, I had not only achieved a degree in civil engineering, but I also had five years of site experience and the opportunity of becoming IEng too.