Why apprenticeships are building brilliant careers

National Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity to celebrate the people shaping the future of our industry and to highlight apprenticeships as a powerful route into construction.

Across Morgan Sindall Construction, our apprentices are gaining hands‑on experience, building confidence, and developing real careers from day one. We asked our current cohort to reflect on their journeys so far - what they’ve enjoyed most, what they’ve found challenging, and what they’re looking forward to next.

Their responses offer an honest and inspiring insight into why apprenticeships work - and why they continue to attract people from all backgrounds into construction.

The best bit so far: growth, responsibility and real impact

When our apprentices talk about the best part of their journey so far, one message comes through clearly — it’s not just about learning a role, it’s about growing into it.

Many reflected on how far they’ve come since their first days on site. What started with observing and learning the basics has quickly progressed into taking on tasks independently, supporting colleagues, and confidently walking the site, speaking with subcontractors, and understanding how work should progress. Being trusted with their own work packages or mini‑projects has been a key milestone, giving apprentices real ownership and pride in their contribution.

As Bella (Apprentice Site Manager) shared:

Being trusted to handle my own tasks and knowing that my contribution makes a difference has been a real highlight.’

Hands‑on experience sits at the heart of these highlights. From site management rotations to quality inspections, trade coordination and logistics, our apprentices value learning by doing — seeing projects develop day by day while strengthening the technical knowledge gained at university.

People and culture also play a big part. Supportive teams, approachable colleagues and strong relationships across site and offices have helped our apprentices settle in quickly and feel part of the business.

As Josh (Apprentice Quantity Surveyor) put it,

The people! Everyone both on site and in the office has been more than willing to help me out with anything I've asked, and it's been incredibly easy integrating myself as part of the team.’

Perhaps most powerfully, some highlights go beyond personal development. Handing over projects and seeing people move into a space they helped deliver brought home the real impact of construction —

[My best bit was] handing over Ravensdale SEN to the school and seeing children move in.’ - Cameron (Apprentice Site Manager)

The challenges: balancing demands and building confidence

While apprenticeships offer huge opportunities, our apprentices were open about the challenges they’ve faced along the way. By far the most common theme was balancing full‑time site work with university.

Managing coursework, assignments and exams alongside the day‑to‑day demands of a live construction project can be intense — particularly as academic workloads increase in later years – but that time management and organisation have therefore become key skills.

As Sebastian (Apprentice Site Manager) explained,

Balancing full-time site work alongside university has definitely been challenging at times, especially during busy periods on site. Construction is a fast-paced industry and things can change quickly, so learning how to adapt, communicate clearly, and stay organised has been a big learning curve but one that’s helped me grow a lot.’’

Confidence was another recurring theme. From communicating clearly in meetings to dealing with different personalities and external stakeholders, apprentices have had to push themselves outside their comfort zones. For some, this meant overcoming shyness and learning to speak up — something that has ultimately strengthened their communication skills.

Why apprenticeships? A smarter route into construction

When asked why they chose an apprenticeship over a traditional university route, our apprentices were united in their thinking: they wanted real experience, real responsibility, and a head start in their careers.

Hands‑on learning was the biggest driver. Many apprentices felt they learn best by doing rather than sitting in lectures, and valued the opportunity to apply their knowledge directly on live projects.

As Bella (Apprentice Site Manger) explained,

I chose an apprenticeship because I knew I would learn better through hands‑on experience rather than just studying full‑time. This route lets me earn a qualification, gain experience, and build a career at the same time. Instead of waiting until after university to get site experience, I’m already two years into my career while studying for the same degree. It’s the perfect combination of practical and academic learning.’’

Another major factor was the ability to earn while learning. Gaining a fully funded degree while receiving a salary — and avoiding student debt — made apprenticeships an attractive and practical choice.

Supported to succeed

A strong support network is central to every successful apprenticeship — and our apprentices consistently highlighted how well supported they feel at Morgan Sindall Construction.

From fully funded degrees and qualifications to mentoring, regular catch‑ups and structured development plans, apprentices are backed both academically and professionally.

Mentors, line managers and teams play a crucial role in day‑to‑day learning, while rotations, training opportunities and early careers programmes help apprentices gain exposure across the business:

I have a mentor who I work closely with doing day-to-day tasks such as inspections and progress meetings with the subcontractor. I also have regular catch ups with both mentor and line manager to ensure I'm not struggling with anything.’’ - Cameron (Apprentice Site Manager)

A day in the life: No two days are the same

When our apprentices describe a typical day, one thing is clear — there’s no such thing as ‘typical’.

Days often begin with site walk‑arounds, inductions and safety checks, before moving on to inspections, meetings, planning tasks, commercial activities or quality reviews. Some days are spent in PPE on site, others in the office or supporting local events — and often a mix of both.

As Ellie (Social Value Apprentice) said:

There's really no such thing as a typical day for me, every day is different! My work can range from data reporting to supporting careers events and everything in-between.’’