For National Apprenticeship Week, Florian Lawrence shares more about her role as a Design Apprentice.
Her day-to-day role is varied and, for the most part, consists of assisting design managers with mark-ups and providing comment on drawings. She defines and reviews scopes, identifying where there is insufficient information for works and communicating with a wider team to complete the design requirements.
Florian’s apprenticeship at Sir Robert McAlpine has allowed her to develop #SkillsForLife including communication and teamwork through meetings and tasks, problem solving through workshops, and self-management by prioritising daily tasks, university work, and off-the-job hours. Head over to our Instagram page to watch Florian's 'day in the life of' video and learn more about her role.
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The built environment can shape the way people live their lives. Climate change, poverty, and gentrification are all examples of issues that can be offset or solved by innovative thinking in this large sector. I wanted to peruse a career in construction to learn how to combat these issues and hopefully bring new ideas into the field.
At college Florian studied engineering which, she recalls, was both fun and challenging. She particularly enjoyed the workshop, design and CAD modules, which sparked her interest and led her to apply for her current position.
She chose an apprenticeship route into construction because it was an accessible way to get into the industry. It allows her to get hands-on experience in the field, learn how problems are dealt with, and get a university education, whilst not having to worry about student debt and financing.
A significant career highlight for Florian is seeing her designs come to life.
I work onsite Monday to Friday and throughout the week I can look out the window or walk round the project to see what is being made and how it's done. In the past six months, so much has been achieved and I can’t wait to see the end result!
Florian would absolutely recommend Sir Robert McAlpine as a good place to work. “The people are friendly and always willing to answer your questions, and there’s a lot of experience and knowledge in the office which makes it a great place to learn.”
“What attracted me to work at Sir Robert McAlpine was their consistent efforts in interacting with the community by fundraising for charities, their work on inclusion, and giving their employees 4 days of volunteering a year.”
“As an organisation, they actively support their employees as well as reach out and take opinions by making affinity groups available. For people in their early careers they have also created/began to create a programme for developing skills and getting extra qualifications.”
For those considering an apprenticeship route into construction, Florian said:
“I would advise others considering an apprenticeship route into construction to take the opportunities you get, stay confident, and always be ready to learn something new”.
So what’s next for Florian? In the next five years, she’s aiming to finish her degree and gain chartership. As she progresses her career, she hopes to become a qualified design manager, working on projects that will create a positive impact on society.
We'll be sharing National Apprenticeship Week content each day this week, so watch this space! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. You can also follow Flori's design journey in construction via her Instagram page: @floridoesdesign
We offer a range of apprenticeship opportunities, delivered in partnership with education providers at a local level.
In support of National Apprenticeship Week, we catch up with Apprentice Estimator, Alex O'Shea, who shares more about his role and apprenticeship with us as he develops his #SkillsForLife in construction.
Today marks the launch of National Apprenticeship Week. Join us throughout the week as we reflect on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career in the construction industry.
We offer a range of apprenticeship opportunities - combining practical experience on landmark projects with learning delivered through education providers at a local level.
