Structural Technician Apprentice Review

My role is a technician, which means I use computer software to produce 3D or 2D models of buildings. In a typical day I use BIM to produce 3D models of structures that are designed by architects. I work in the structures team which means we mainly focus on the foundations and the steel work that is put into buildings to hold them up (essentially the skeleton of the building). I then use these 3D models to produce drawings that can then be used for construction. These drawings are checked by the engineers before they are passed on to clients.

I have learned how to use various softwares that I had never used before working at Arup. These include AutoCAD, Revit, MicroStation and many more. During my time in college I have learned about foundation types, materials used in construction, the maths behind the steel and much more. It has also helped me to develop my communication skills as I have to work alongside my own team as well as clients and managers.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme. I learn something new every day and no two days are the same. There is always something different to do. The team I work with are incredibly welcoming and will always answer any questions I have. The culture within the company is excellent, everyone is kind and will be willing to answer/help with anything. The office is very open plan and there are no individual offices for the managers, they sit within the same space as everyone else. It is a very relaxed yet professional environment.

My program is very structured. The training officer at STEGTA is in charge of us as apprentices and makes sure that we are keeping up to date with our Off the Job training as well as with our NVQ work. We have a meeting with our officer every 4-5 weeks where we check in on how we're getting on. There was also a very thorough induction where we were told how the program would run and what was expected of us.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. My line manager is extremely understanding and will listen to any issues I may have. The HR team are easy to talk to and will support you with pretty much everything. I also have a mentor who is an older apprentice and they have been through the same process as me so can answer any questions I may have about the apprenticeship.

We receive a reasonable amount of support from our training provider. The course itself is very interesting and there is a lot to learn. There is a lot of support available and the general attitude is very positive as they will deal with an issue immediately. Our lecturers are keen to ensure that we are getting on well with our qualification and are progressing well.

I feel that the things I am learning in my qualification are very helpful for doing my job role. Most of what I learn I can put in to practice when I return to the office and the more I learn, the more I understand why the Engineers are doing things a certain way. It helps you to learn when you can see it in the real world being applied to projects.

There are lots of social activities to get involved with. There is a Sports and Social Committee and they organize lots of events for the office. We have End of the Month social event on the last Friday of every month. There are many company events/lunchtime talks to attend throughout the year, there is almost always something to do.

Yes

I would recommend Arup to others as they are an amazing company to work for and the opportunities are endless. I have never worked somewhere that is so social and willing to socialize. The company itself offer incredible benefits as well as the opportunity to work alongside the best in the industry. You get to work on incredible projects all over the world.

Be Yourself. It is so important to be yourself. Go through your application with someone to check through it for any errors or areas for improvement. If you get invited to interview, arrive with plenty of time. The assessment days are to get a feel for whether you'd be a good fit for the company and for you to see if the company is a good fit for you, use this as an opportunity to ask lots of questions. To help your application, try to have some relevant work experience. Good Luck!