Careers in Construction Month - Life as a Final Year Apprentice

I am a final (5th) year Engineering Technician Apprentice, which means that by the end of this year I will have an engineering degree and be a qualified engineering technician. Over my time at FM Conway, I have made the most of the variety of departments and the flexibility on offer in the apprenticeship scheme. I completed two years onsite as an engineering technician before moving to the structures division for project development, and now I am in the consultancy team to do highway design and structural inspections – there is no end to the options on offer.

I pretty much always knew that I wanted to go into construction because I come from a family who work in very physical labour-oriented jobs, for example my dad is a floor layer. So, I didn’t have any experience of office roles and really liked the idea of working in a job where I could be hands-on and make an impact on the communities I work in. I have also always believed that I could do it and have had the people around me, my family and friends, support me to be and do whatever I want.

I chose to complete a degree apprenticeship because of the job security when I come to the end of my education: I will finish university and have all the skills and experience to succeed and secure a role, hopefully within FM Conway. I have also relished the opportunity to gain workplace experience and to develop in my role, especially by having the opportunity to ask lots of questions and get support from the more experienced people around me. Beyond that, meeting other apprentices – people in a similar stage of their career and with the same passion for construction as I have – both at work and at university has been rewarding, and I have made some great friends during my apprenticeship.

FM Conway was the right choice for me because of the huge size of the company which means that there are a lot of different departments, roles, teams, and locations. Thanks to this variety, the learning and development team were incredibly helpful in helping me find the right position for my circumstances and goals. I originally applied for an apprenticeship based quite far from where I live and they didn’t want me to have to commute so far, so they offered me different options and supported me as I found the right role for me.

FM Conway is also a well-respected business that works all across London and really pushed their desire to recruit apprentices across the website and social media, so I felt welcomed and wanted within the FM Conway family. From the start I have felt like I’m an integral part of the team, for which I owe my thanks to my contract managers and the warm environment.

The opportunity to meet so many like-minded people and join with a cohort of about 20 made me feel comfortable at FM Conway right from the start, and I have learnt so many different skills in my time here. Flexibility has been fundamental to my success and whilst there was never any push from my teams to move to different business areas, there has always been the opportunity to explore various components of the company, and I have felt supported by my teams to take advantage of this chance to learn more about the industry.

This movement, as well as the team building events that the learning and development team organise for apprentices, means that I have a strong network of fellow apprentices across the company, so when I need to communicate with another team, I always have an in – a person that I can feel comfortable directly contacting.