Apprentice Civil Engineer Review

The day tends to start by attending a morning briefing by the foremen who sets out what work is to be done during the day and from this you get a good idea of what engineering is needed. I then spend a bit of time familiarising myself with the drawings and making sure all the kit is charged and ready to go. From there, I will be out on site making sure everyone is set up and ready to go. Throughout the day it tends to be a mixture of work out on site and paperwork in the office.

I learn new skills daily on site using new pieces of kit and software on a daily basis. I am constantly exposed to new situations out on site, testing both my problem solving skills and willingness to learn. No one day is the same, with new challenges to overcome occurring everyday.

So far I have enjoyed it thoroughly. The hours are tough and take a bit of getting used to, however the work is very varied and you are constantly being exposed to new things. I definitely learn new things daily, both in the office and out on site, which is exactly what you want from an apprenticeship.

I think the programme is very well structured. I like the fact that you do your study on block release at Leeds College of Building as it keeps your study and site work separate. This means you can focus solely on each side of the apprenticeship when you need to.

This is a scheme that has been going for years and therefore, support tends to be very good. You can sometimes be left to your own devices a little bit, but with this type of job that is sometimes the best way to learn and everyone is very helpful in regards to questions and showing you what to do.

Support is very good in regards to qualifications, especially as you live in Leeds whilst studying. The programme has been running for years using Leeds College of Building and therefore they are use to providing training to the BAM apprentices. You are also offered to go on and do a degree all funded by the company at the end of your apprenticeship.

I felt the surveying course we completed in our level 3 diploma was incredibly helpful for when going on site. We got experience using equipment like the dumpy level and total station, both bits of equipment I have since used on site and that practice I gained at college proved incredibly helpful.

There a limited activities to get involved in. There was a weekly game of 5 a side played for a bit hwihc was good fun, however that stopped due to a lack of numbers.

Yes

If you want a mix of a well tailored training programme and real life experience then BAM is the compnay for you. Not only will you gain brilliant experience that will set you up for a career in engineering, but you will also meet great people along the way. Definitely recommend doing an apprenticeship with BAM.

Make sure to be yourself at all times. Don't worry if you aren't academically the strongest as BAM are more focused on your personality than necessarily your abilities. Due to the good training they provide anyone can become an engineer with the right attitude.