Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice Review

I am a Civil Engineering Degree apprentice, which involves learning about the process of Commisioning, designing, constructing, and handing over projects in the water industry. The Shifnal branch of Mott Macdonald Bentley works under the Severn Trent framework, and handles both clean and waste water projects. As an apprentice, my role so far has been on the BIM (Built Information Modelling) team. I have been trained in AutoCAD, Revit, and Civil3d for use in creating technical drawings and 3d models for designers. I also produce RC detailing drawings for some projects. Also, more recently, I have been on the completions team, which involves managing and preparing the handover and uploading of data from projects to the client.

Up until the current point in the apprenticeship, I have been trained in a variety of useful skills which will hopefully contribute to my IENG application upon completion of the degree. I have been trained in AutoCAD, Revit, and Civil3D, meaning I can produce drawings and 3D models up to a professional standard as required by the client. At university, we have been learning the theoretical side of Civil Engineering; We have learned calculations and the supporting formulas for steel beam design, rebar design, site surveying, and concrete structure design.

From the start of the apprenticeship, I have enjoyed the training and applying the skills I have learned at university to the projects. This has been enjoyable because it is a great way to put the skills you learn to the test. More recently, I have not been enjoying the apprenticeship as much, but that cannot be faulted to the company or university. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have all been working from home, meaning that training and getting more interesting work has been a lot slower. Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done about this, as we need to be in an office to complete the most effective training ie: 1 to 1 practical training sessions.

The structure of the program is a solid foundation for out personal and professional developments. As part of the program, we are to complete the IENG application process, which involves completing quarterly reviews and presentations leading up to our final application and examination. This formalised recording of our progress allows us to identify strengths and weaknesses, and implement additional training as required. In terms of support, we have access to our Line Managers, a Delegated Engineer (for support in the IENG process), and a Skills Coach form the university. We also train under different mentors depending on the process we are being trained in.

We receive plenty of support from our employer, although the method this support has been delivered to us has changed over the last year. This is due to the spread of COVID-19 and the resultant lockdown measures that have been implemented. The company has shifted to a working-from-home structure, wherever it is possible, and this has had some effect on the support we receive as apprentices. This is the inevitable consequence of the pandemic, and measures such as regular catch-up meetings have been put in place in order to keep support available. From the university, we also have regular Skills Coach meetings which help us keep track of our professional and academic goals.

The university educates us in the theoretical and academic side of Civil Engineering, with the degree course being the core component of the apprenticeship. Support from the university has been strained of late. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university has switched from classroom-based learning to learning from home. In my opinion, the learning from home is a much less effective way of educating students, as the lack of physically being in the classroom negatively effects the level of knowledge we as students are gaining. Not being in the classroom means that 1-to-1 mentorship from teachers has nearly entirely dissapeared, along with practical exercises such as labs. The Site Surveying module in particular has been affected negatively by this, as we are unable to use the equipment out on-site. The amount of blame that can be attributed to the university for this is debatable however, as there has not been a lockdown of this scale in recent history.

I feel that the education undertaken by us at the university is invaluable to us in our role as Civil Engineering apprentices. I would go as far as to say that our level of knowledge attained at university unlocks new opportunities to perform more complex tasks in the workplace. For example, during the first semester of the "Principles of Design" module, we learned about RC (Structural Concrete reinforced with steel bars). This knowledge has directly helped me produce better-standard RC detailing drawings; Now that I have a basic understanding of the theory behind the drawings, I can produce much more competent drawings by taking into account the structural properties of RC.

Usually, there are many extra-curricular activities to attend and enjoy, such as social events, ICE learning seminars, sports teams, and professional networking events. However, last year, due to the pandemic, the amount of opportunity for extra-curricular events has been greatly reduced. In response to this, the company has moved a lot of the learning online, meaning that people can still gain valuable knowledge despite being out of office. This has the advantage that learning events are recorded now, allowing people to watch them at their leisure rather than at specific times.

Yes

I would recommend Mott Macdonald for anyone who has a genuine interest in Civil Engineering, However, I would not recommend it to anyone who isn't genuinely interested in the practice, due to the amount of work involved. A degree apprenticeship can be a very time-consuming ordeal, with apprentices required to do university work such as assignments and revision in their own time. This can leave apprentices with little free time to pursue other interests. However, if you have a genuine interest in the subject, I would say that there is no better way of acquiring a degree.

When applying to Mott Macdonald, I would heavily advise having completed some work experience at other engineering companies. This will demonstrate that you have a genuine interest in the subject, and will also show that you have a good work ethic and a useful existing skillset. In terms of previous education, either A levels or equivalent are required to get on a degree apprenticeship course. I got onto mine with a 180-credit diploma BTEC in Engineering. I will mention that the grade boundary for getting in is slightly higher for BTEC students than A-level students, though.