To celebrate and support National Apprenticeship Week we caught up with two of our new Apprentices to find out about their journeys so far.
James and Liam joined the company in September 2022 as Trainee Quantity Surveyors in our Nottingham office and currently study at Nottingham Trent University.
First up… James
So James, what are the three things that you enjoy most about being an Apprentice?
“I would say the three things I enjoy most about being an Apprentice are team working, effective communication and problem solving.”
What made you want to take the Apprenticeship route over other educational routes?
“I chose an Apprenticeship over other educational routes because it allowed me to gain industry-recognised qualifications, which can help validate my skills and knowledge as well as helping me demonstrate my value.”
Tell us about what your day-to-day role involves now?
Contracts and procurement: Tasks include recording and monitoring variations to the contract, and ascertaining the costs involved. The amount of time I spend on this can vary from a week working on an interim valuation to a couple of hours a day updating a list of variations.
Measurement: Measuring construction works on site also involves recording progress and valuing the work, based on agreed contract rates. How long this takes depends on the size of the project.
Cost forecasting (part of pricing): This involves forecasting the final costs of projects or work packages (individual contracts within a project).”
What was it about Edmond Shipway that attracted you to the company?
“The main reason I chose Edmond Shipway is that I recognise their strength as a business, is in their people and that the future of the business lies in developing us to be the leaders of tomorrow. This attracted me as Shipway have a genuine intention to develop me and provide the best opportunities to succeed. They also encourage individuality and creativity from each member of the team in the belief that teamwork delivers real success for our clients. This attracted me as their constant drive – to be the best – is something I want to be a part of in the future.”
Thanks James, and Liam …
For you Liam, what are the advantages of an Apprenticeship?
“The advantages that stood out for me when assessing my options was that I could go to University and also work and earn at the same time. It is definitely an advantage doing an apprenticeship because university and work go hand–in–hand. My university work helps me with my tasks at work and vice versa.”
Would you recommend an Apprenticeship to other school/college leavers?
“I would strongly recommend an Apprenticeship over anything else to all college and school leavers. After seeing my position today and other friends that took other routes I can confidently say in my opinion, this is the best option to take.”
How is the support and training you are receiving going so far?
“The support and training that I receive from everyone at my workplace is immense, you never have to worry about getting anything wrong or asking questions because as long as you are showing the passion and commitment to learn, you can do no wrong.”
Do you have any advice for would-be Apprentices on getting an Apprenticeship?
“The advice I have for would-be apprentices is follow a sector that interests you most, research all of the different job types and their roles to find one that suits you and apply for multiple jobs even if one doesn’t interest you quite as much its good to gain interview experience.”
Thanks Guys, its great to see how far you’ve both come in just a few months at Edmond Shipway.
Keep up the good work!
