How to start your career in construction

Welcome to our guide to starting a career with Sir Robert McAlpine.

Here you can find a wealth of information about what it’s like to work in an industry and a business with so many different opportunities. Watch or read about some of our Apprentices and Graduates, as they share how they’ve progressed since starting their career with us.

We’ve got information about routes into the industry and some of the opportunities, qualifications and career pathways available to you.

We’ve also included a useful Q&A for parents and guardians – to answer some of their questions about choosing apprenticeships as an alternative to university. And we’ve added links to some great online resources  where you can find out more.

Early careers 

Start your working life with Sir Robert McAlpine through one of our early careers routes and become part of our family.

We know that a diverse workforce is a strong and innovative workforce and we have opportunities for Apprentices, Sponsored Students and Graduates across a range of both on site and office-based roles. Our ambition is to be the Best Place to Work and the Best Builder in the UK and your talent, potential and enthusiasm can be part of making this happen!

You can register your interest and be the first to hear about our opportunities, by submitting a few details.
Take a look below to find out more!

Routes into the industry

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Want to find out why more and more people are choosing an apprenticeship over university? Not sure what you want to do? Or wondering how to convert your interests into qualifications?

We’ve listed  some of the most popular apprenticeships we offer as part of our commitment to supporting people to progress in their chosen field. Find out what it means to be a ‘Quantity Surveyor’ or ‘Geospatial Technician’ and how one of our apprenticeships could kick start your career!

Information for Parents & Guardians - Q&A 

Understanding all the options to help guide your child through the different routes into the industry is key to supporting them in making the right decision. Here we do some myth busting on some of the queries around apprenticeships!

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships allow the combination of work and study by mixing on-the-job training while studying for a formal qualification. They'll be employed to do a real job, gaining valuable knowledge and skills, alongside undertaking their qualification – all while getting paid at the same time!

Will there be any tuition fees I need to make the College or University?

All tuition fees will be met by the employer, usually along with travel costs to/from the College or Uni, so there would be no cost for you as a parent or guardian

What are the different levels of apprenticeships available?

When people talk about ‘levels’ they are referring to the academic level of the apprenticeship, these relate to the various educational levels that most will already be familiar with:

Are there entry criteria?

Entry requirements will depend on the level of apprenticeship, any academic requirement should be clearly outlined in the job advert they are applying for. Typically for a level 3, they will need 5 GCSE’s and for a degree apprenticeship 2 or 3 A-levels.

Will their pay meet national minimum wage?

There is an apprentice NMW for those in the 1st year of their apprenticeship, most responsible employers, including SRM, will pay more than this. Starting salaries vary depending on the level of apprenticeship – this increases as they become more skilled. Their salary should always meet NMW from the 2nd year of their apprenticeship.

How many hours will they be required to work?

This will vary between employer, at SRM our site hours are 45 hours per week (Under 18’s are limited to 40 hours per week)

Will they be allowed to take holiday?

Yes, all apprentices will be entitled to the same holiday allowance as all employees – this is currently a generous 25 days!

How do we find out about apprentice opportunities and apply?

There are many places to find apprenticeship opportunities including (not going to Uni, gov.uk, indeed) all our apprentice vacancies can be found from January by visiting our careers portal 

More information about the different types of apprenticeships available from the Institute of Apprenticeships

Meet our apprentices

Want to know what it’s really like as a Sir Robert McAlpine trainee? Here, some of our current trainees talk about their careers to date, what subjects they studied before starting work and the qualifications they are working towards. Find out about the varied roles construction has to offer and what a typical day looks like for them.

Interested in finding out more?

We’ve included some links to useful websites below that will tell you more about Construction and Engineering! Click on the headings to find out more.

Go Construct The Go Construct website showcases the many career opportunities available in construction and the built environment. It is funded by the CITB levy and led by the industry

Tomorrows Engineers The Tomorrow's Engineers programme, led by the engineering community, provides a platform for employers to work effectively with schools to inspire more young people to consider a careers in engineering

STEM Improving lives through a world-leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics education

UCAS Apprenticeship information in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Institution of Civil Engineers Find out about the ICE as a professional institute

https://www.rics.org/uk/Find out about the RICS as a professional institute

Chartered Institute of Building Find out about the CIOB as a professional institute