Olivia Oakley – STEGTA Excellence Award Winner 2022
We would like to Congratulate Olivia Oakley who is currently employed at BDI Structural Solutions Ltd has been awarded a STEGTA Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance in Civil Engineering.
We asked Olivia why she chose Civil Engineering as a career and her future plans:
(Olivia is pictured with his STEGTA Training Officer Martin Dawson).
“Before my I started my Apprenticeship at BDI Structural Engineering Solutions, I had no idea what Civil Engineering was.
When I was 17, I was at college, unhappy and unsure with what I was going to do with my life, and how I was going to progress my long-term career. However, I had a part time job which I loved! I enjoyed earning my own money, working in a professional environment, and being surrounded by dedicated hard working individuals.
It was at that point, I decided I wanted to do an Apprenticeship, the only problem was I had no idea what I wanted to do! I had always enjoyed creative subjects at school such as Art and Design Technology and have a personal interest in property developing. One day me and my mum were looking at different apprenticeships and one that popped up was a Civil Engineering Technician Apprenticeship.
I had never heard of Civil Engineering and had no idea of what a crucial part of society it is. It was safe to say I took a gamble, I went for the interview and thought to myself, yes, I’m going to give this a go! I can safely say that it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.
I have been at BDI for over 2 years now and have been studying at Salford City College on day release for just over a year. I have learnt so much in these past 2 years and have been offered some fantastic opportunities both through BDI , the ICE and of course STEGTA.
I have received fantastic support from my employer and STEGTA throughout my apprenticeship so far and am fully confident they will continue to do so! Martin Dawson, from STEGTA , has been my Training Officer since day one and has constantly provided assistance and advice regarding the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours, relating to my apprenticeship, in preparation for my End Point Assessment with the Institution of Civil Engineers. It’s always a pleasure to work with him and I can’t wait to continue to do so!
I was delighted to receive the STEGTA Excellence Award from Martin back in August 2022. It is great to know that my hard work and dedication to my apprenticeship has been recognised by the Team at STEGTA. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank both Martin and the Team at BDI for their constant backing and commitment to helping me progress my career within the Civil Engineering Industry!
In regards to work, I have been loving getting out on site more this year; getting the chance to speak to clients, builders and architects has really helped to development my communication skills as well as expanding my overall knowledge of construction and engineering! Additionally, having the opportunity to work on different types and sizes of projects has been an exciting and interesting learning experience.
I was also fortunate enough to receive The ICE QUEST Technician Award in February 2022, as well as a financial grant towards my studies. I attended the ICE awards dinner with BDI In May 2022. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to see what projects are currently taking place in the North West, as well as having the chance to speak to others within the industry!”