Nurturing future leaders – The essential role of Apprenticeships

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with Neil Irving, Digital Project Solutions Business Partner, to talk all things apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on leadership.

I started out as a Civil Engineering Apprentice in 2007 and could talk about blend of hands-on experience and technical understanding that makes apprenticeships the right choice for so many, but for me that’s just the beginning of the positive impact that they have.

Rooted in your apprenticeship journey is a real appreciation of the value of mentoring, continuous learning, and collaborating with others to get the job done. It’s this mindset that helps prepare you for leadership right from the very start of your career.

If I think about mentoring specifically, this has played a pivotal role in helping me navigate challenges and seek out opportunities that I might not have had the confidence to pursue.

The guidance, support and insights that I’ve gained from mentors has been key to my development, so it’s only natural that this is integral to how I work with my team today.  

My apprenticeship taught me that pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is essential to reaching your full potential. The only way past the challenges you come across is to move through them. It’s about showing up and doing your best, asking for help from people who’ve been there before, and taking the learnings from each experience.

Apprenticeships offer huge opportunity to future-proof careers. At BAM, building a sustainable tomorrow is the purpose that drives every one of us, so to evolving apprenticeships to incorporate more advanced technologies and sustainable practices will help ensure that our apprentices have the skills they need to become industry leaders.  They’re also great for promoting the diversity and inclusion that we know is the key to a successful team.

Apprenticeships cover a broad spectrum of subjects and attract people from a wide variety of backgrounds, bringing fresh perspectives and ideas. For example, I was a mature entrant starting a second career when I began my apprenticeship at 24.

So, what would I say to someone starting out on their apprenticeship journey? Embrace every learning opportunity, build a network, make connections across the business, and stay very curious. BAM is dynamic and full of opportunities – people often move across roles and teams to achieve their goals. Stay committed, be adaptable, and always strive for excellence.