Project Management Apprentice Review

At Mace I am doing a Project Management Apprenticeship with a focus on Project Controls and therefore gaining experience from two different areas. Currently I am working on very large scale public sector project and therefore spend the majority of my time working on this. On this project I have been getting heavily involved in the pre-construction phase specifically learning and engaging in the design and planning side of things. Previous to this I had been developing a website for the whole project team to use as a collaborative tool and have also had exposure to a variety of disciplines including risk and cost. On a general day to day basis, I will be in the office working but due to the nature of the scheme I will also have training days involving construction site visits and industry based visits. On a day to day basis I will interact with: the majority of the PMO office, the project management team, the designers, the constructors and then client. This is entirely dependent on what's going on in the project at the time. During the apprentice training itself I will often interact with the other apprentices, more senior members of staff and different project teams. I'm currently also working on a project with one of the graduates and this involves different people in the business to those that I usually see on a daily basis.

As part of the apprenticeship programme, I am working towards a Level 4 diploma in Project Management. This involves block release studying where I do a week of the course at a time. As well as this I complete course work to consolidate my learning and then put together a portfolio which includes my work place experience. Alongside this, I have regular internal training sessions which currently consist of construction site visits, industry based workshops and then more business related training sessions. The business related training sessions are more related to aspects like soft skills and this is particularly beneficial due to having left school and not necessarily having much work place experience yet. This kind of training aids both personal and professional development. In addition to this type of training, I have received industry specific as well as relevant software training for multiple different tools. Our company has a particularly effective system that allows you to enroll yourself onto any relevant courses. Examples of training include Primavera (a high level planning software), Microsoft project and other systems such as conject. My soft skills of communication & Presenting have particularly improved since starting my apprenticeship as I have been encouraged to do this much more frequently. It has been helpful getting advice from people that have experience of doing this on a daily basis in a more professional environment.

In general, I enjoy my work quite a lot due to the fact that it is extremely varied but remains structured. I am not always around the same people or doing the same thing which I enjoy as it helps me stay engaged and learn from lots of different people (As well as learning a lot from other businesses and their people). The apprenticeship is run well in terms of the fact there is an element of choice and movement. The idea is that you will move around different projects to gain a feel for different sectors and stages involved within the project. Probably my favorite aspect of my job is my team. My immediate team is made up of 8 individuals who vary in age, experience and personality. When I first started I expected to have to spend time waiting for certain things due to the understanding that everyone as their own roles and jobs to be getting on with. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the team I'm in was extremely willing and supportive. They are often happy to pause their work to explain something (within reason) or to give advice on particular pieces of work and I've been quite lucky in this respect. There is a genuine strong sense of ambition and innovation that exists throughout. Before starting the company I kept hearing the words 'forward-thinkers' and was little skeptical as with everything, there is often traditionalists. This being said, everyone I have come into contact with at the company seems open to new ideas and innovative ways of thinking. The company 'culture' is generally quite a positive and supportive one. Honestly, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from the company when I joined other than what I had heard from other people in the industry which seemed to be quite good stuff. So far, I am really enjoying my programme.

I do feel valued by Mace and feel comfortable to suggest ideas and speak to people in different areas of the business. I think Mace do this particularly well because I feel like I am able to speak to more senior directors and get treated with respect. A good way this was done was by having a directors networking event early on in our apprenticeship where the HR team organized an event where we could interact with board members which some people who have been in the business a few years may not even get to do. This gave us a chance to chat to directors and made us feel valued due to them taking the time out of their busy diaries. The way Mace has structured their management system for our apprentices is particularly beneficial. We not only receive support from our line manager who is often quite senior within the business unit which can be particularly good for having a 'role model'. In addition to this we have the opportunity to get a mentor for additional support that we can go to for advice. We then receive strong support from the emerging talent team (HR) with our career and personal development.

My programme is well structured and organised but could improve by being more detailed further in advance as I am only fully aware of a year in advance. However, I have recently gained understanding that this is partially due to the programme being quite responsive to individuals needs and dependent on what experience we gain. Therefore also what gaps may not of been filled on each of our projects so they can then develop training around this. We usually have one full day of internal training each month and this often consists of construction site visits where we'll have a classroom based lesson on a particular subject from an expert and be expected to complete pre-work to enable this. We will then go round the site and see the subject in practice and be given any opportunity to ask questions. As well as this, we will participate in industry based workshop and then professional development lessons during this day. It's good because we do a range of subjects in that day and the styles of learning vary.

It could be argued that my training provider is the weakest element of the apprenticeship but has the potential to be a much stronger element. My company has been extremely proactive in monitoring our experience with our training provider and seeking feedback from us to pass on and make them act on it. As a result of this, I have recently been assigned my second tutor and therefore cannot comment but she seems to be very supportive and willing to help. More so than my previous tutor.

I receive lots of support from various areas, this includes: My line manager, my mentor, my grad mentor, my team, HR and then various people from my project. Task delegation/responsibility is quite responsive and this part remains unstructured to an extent but I think this suits the nature of the business. It allows you to work at a pace that suits you and develop at a suitable speed, gaining responsibility when it is relevant. The hierarchy of both the team and the business is made clear very early on by the grade system and individual's titles. Unlike some other businesses, even though apprentices sit quite low in the hierarchy there is huge scope to move up quickly. There's not an attitude of hierarchy in terms of people not having time due to being above you as they will still provide you with respect and time. The programme, again, is quite responsive to change and therefore is well organised initially and this can change in the future but for a good reason.

Currently i don't have very many outgoings so my pay is fine and i am able to expense my travel through my company so which is particularly helpful.

So there is a lot of seminar type days and expos that are run that we are encouraged to go to further our learning and to network with others which is really good. There's always loads going on that you can get involved in, for example 'Tea and talk' mornings which are focused on mental health which i think is such a good idea and more companies should get involved. This is in collaboration with MacMillan cancer charity. There's always charity related activities happening that you can get involved in and there is a strong drive. We are entitled to two volunteer days per year which also actively encourages to do something extra that we may not of done otherwise. This is also good because you get to chose which activity you want to do and there's a wide range. For example, i volunteered at a crafts club for disadvantaged children. Previously i've got involved in a work gym class which was focused on well-being. Due to the nature of the work, location often varies so its good for trying new things in different areas and getting that variety. Before i was working here, i was at sixth form.

Yes

It's a really good company to work for due to the environment and the support you receive from those that you work with. It's also a company that is growing internationally meaning that opportunities will continuously increase and you aren't just limited to the UK like other competing companies.

Demonstrate that you are driven and enthusiastic and you will do well. Treat everyone that you meet with respect and make the time for everyone as this will be valued and may help you out later on. It's good to do some work experience before joining so you have a better idea of what it is that you're signing up for. I would've liked to have been told what it was you were being assessed on - it's really just about your interactive skills and how you respond to others.