India Jean-Jacques – Case Study
Age: 17
Company: WSP
Apprenticeship: Level 3 Civil Engineering Technician Apprenticeship Standard
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I enjoy the versatility of it, as there are so many opportunities to work on a variety of projects – from small local council projects where my responsibilities spill into other disciplines, to large scale infrastructure projects like HS2. My work includes a large breadth of both technical (CAD and report-writing) and non-technical tasks (e.g. commercial, management).
I thoroughly enjoy seeing the processes come together and streamline to the point where you can appreciate how everything will tie in together real life.
What project(s) are you working on at the moment?
At the moment, I am working on a local council project for junction improvements as well as on a bidding team for a major framework. I also have a role in my office in the business’s sustainability initiative Future Ready, which has been great to contribute to alongside routine project work.
What does a typical day at work involve?
It varies, but typically it will be making revisions to CAD drawings, marking these up and attending meetings with further actions.
What do you see as the biggest challenges in your job?
At the moment, the COVID-19 crisis is a big one meaning that site visits and consequent buildability and ECI aspects of a project are more difficult to action. Moving everything online does have advantages of course, however. Another big thing is sustainability. There really is a push now for decarbonisation to meet net zero targets. There is no easy solution to meet these and therefore it is a challenge.
What encouraged you to do an Apprenticeship?
It just seemed beyond logical to me – it’s been said so many times before but earning and learning is so invaluable and for me it’s also the head start you get. Everyone going the traditional way will miss out on the bucket loads of experience and real-time application of knowledge as they work. Not to mention the contacts and network you build up. You can achieve the same qualifications, so it just makes sense.
What did you do prior to your Apprenticeship?
I left school straight after I did my GCSEs in 2019 – all grade 9s and 2 extra self-studied plus a Level 3 FSMQ qualification.
What are the benefits?
The apprenticeship has really taught me skills I wouldn’t have learned were I to still be at school. I have learned the importance of networking and presentational, interpersonal and communication skills. I have also gained a deeper appreciation for the way that teams are coordinated and the recipe and ingredients to optimal organisation.
The apprenticeship has opened up a realm of possibilities I wouldn’t have any clue existed beforehand and has allowed me to fortify my ambitions and objectives in a structured way. The experience I have gained has definitely given me a huge advantage over others my age and I believe it is one of the smartest choices I have made so far career-wise.
What are your future plans?
I hope to be able to travel in my career, at this stage I am just exploring the different areas of this multi-faceted industry but definitely a long term goal of mine is to travel to work on projects.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
I am a STEM ambassador and Apprentice Technician Champion of the London ICE Graduate and Student committee. Doing volunteering outreach events with students who are around my age or sometimes older is something I am passionate about as this route really recognised and acknowledged more than it currently is. Also, I’ve learned recently that my application and interview for an ICE QUEST Technician Scholarship has been approved.