We would like to Congratulate Gabriella Long who is employed by WSP in Manchester, as she has been awarded a STEGTA Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance in Engineering Design & Draughtsperson.

We asked Gabriella how she felt about winning the award.

“I chose a career in engineering because I have always been inquisitive about the work of my parents as engineers and a career in engineering offered a practical approach to learning. I wanted to gain first-hand experience, with the bonus of doing something different to my peers.

I am supported by an excellent team of colleagues at WSP who have been incredibly helpful, giving up their time to teach me about designing and our role within Energy and have explained the technical side to engineering in a way that I am able to understand it and then apply that knowledge to my work.

Rick and Ayo, my STEGTA Training Officers have also been extremely supportive. When I started my Apprenticeship Rick was very friendly and helpful and took the time to explain what I needed to do and what was expected of me. When Ayo took over he arranged a meeting to introduce himself and go through what I had completed with Rick, he’s been very encouraging and willing to work to push me so I could meet the goals I had set myself.

I am proud of my work on HS2 where I was given the opportunity to broaden my engineering knowledge by working on a multi-disciplinary project. I am also proud that this project gave me the chance to pass on the skills I have learnt in my Apprenticeship to other colleagues who were new to the project.

I plan to complete my Apprenticeship by the end of this year and complete an AS level in maths to help me when I progress on to a Degree Apprenticeship with WSP. This will get me a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Structural Engineering and then I will progress onto a Masters.

One of the great things about doing an Apprenticeship with WSP is that I will be given the opportunity to do this degree and have the strain of financial burden removed”.

Gabriella’s Training Officer – Ayo Ojo commented:

“It has been an honour to work with Gabriella; the qualities she possess are glaring and very instrumental to her success on the programme so far. She forges good relationships effortlessly, challenges herself, speaks up in a timely manner whenever she is struggling, not afraid to troubleshoot, and most importantly; always looking for ways to improve her productivity. With these attributes, I know her future is going to be bright; and here is wishing Gabriella good health and a sound mind for greater things to come.”