By Sophie Dawson
This week marks the joyful celebration of National Apprenticeship Week (05- 11 February 2024)!
It’s a splendid opportunity for the education and skills sector to honor the accomplishments of apprentices across the nation and the wonderful impact they have on communities, businesses, and the broader economy.
To help shine a light on the value of apprenticeships at work and in the community, my team has asked me to share my personal experience and explain why I think it’s a fantastic way to pursue further education.
A little bit about me
Hi I’m Sophie, the newest member of the Project Groundwater Northumbria (PGN) team.
I am currently on a civil engineering degree funded by the apprenticeship levy at Teesside University.
I began working in civil engineering in September 2018 after studying pharmacy at university and realizing it wasn’t the right career for me. Feeling a bit behind where I wanted to be, I looked for apprenticeships so I could study while working and get a head start in my career.
When I joined Waterman Aspen, I had passion and vision but no real industry experience at that time. With their full support I enrolled on a civil engineering degree apprenticeship.
I am now an assistant civil engineer with 5 years of industry experience, working on this fantastic research and innovation project and in my final year at university. PGN is a research and innovation project within the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme (FCRIP) Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com).
I will be graduating with a BEng in Civil Engineering and will qualify for the Incorporated Engineer (IEng) professional review via the End Point Assessment (EPA) with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) – epa-faqs-for-apprentices.pdf
Earn and learn at the same time
I would say one of the many benefits of an apprenticeship is the opportunity to work while you study. This can give your career a fantastic head start, providing both industry experience and academic knowledge.
Another important thing to mention is that the apprenticeship levy covers your tuition, so you don’t need to take out student loans!
The skills gap
Apprenticeships are a great way to bring diverse skills into the workforce, especially for those who might be put off by the high cost of full-time higher education.
Apprenticeships can help address the skills gap in the industry, a topic we cover on The PGN podcast. The podcasts engages in interesting dialogue on flooding, environment and sustainability issues; featuring a diverse range of guests to showcase the variety of careers in the sector.
The PGN podcast is freely accessible on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
I highly recommend listening to anyone interested in pursuing a career in the water and environment sector.
Access to variety
Being involved in a research and innovation project has allowed me to take part in unique activities and work in different environments with a variety of specialists from different disciplines.
In my first week with the team, I had the honor of observing the recording and production of The PGN podcast. It’s not every day that as an assistant civil engineer, you get to be part of something like this.
I enjoyed going to the site to observe the groundwater monitoring boreholes being installed and being part of the progress site meetings.
Anyone keen on pursuing an apprenticeship should definitely check out the exciting events and valuable information available this week at National Apprenticeship Week.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore new possibilities and take the first step towards an exciting career!
Thank you for reading.
