Fast forward almost 18 months and, we thought it was time to catch up with Finley to find out more about his career journey so far, and why he would recommend an apprenticeship to others starting out in industry.
Hi Finley! Tell us a little bit about your career so far?
“During my career at Waldeck, I have been able to be a part of a variety of projects including residential developments, car parks, warehouses, rail works and racing tracks. This has allowed me to keep on expanding my knowledge of engineering and continue to learn on the job alongside experienced engineers.”
“At the moment, I am currently working on the development and design of the drainage network for West Midlands Interchange which is a large project that is always changing and evolving. This involves lots of communication between a large team of project managers, architects, structural and civil engineers.”
“Alongside my work, I have also been attending Nottingham Trent University every week working towards a degree in Civil Engineering. This is a great way to learn about the calculations and processes behind the standards and software that I have been using since my start at Waldeck.”
“Everything I have been doing at work and university has been contributing to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) attributes allowing me to progress towards an IEng status. This is important to me as I will have an end point assessment at the end of my course at Nottingham Trent University where all the attributes need to be completed. With the wide variety of projects I am working on and the huge amount of support available from mentors/engineers within the business, I am confident that I can keep on progressing towards my goals with my career and education at Waldeck.”
Why did you choose a Degree Apprenticeship to further your education?
“I have chosen to do a Degree Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering at Nottingham Trent University as it is a great way to gain experience whilst also working towards a qualification. It can also set you up for great opportunities in the future as the IEng status is a globally recognised achievement.”
“I’ve been working at Waldeck four days a week being involved in a variety of projects learning more each day, then I am at Nottingham Trent University once a week.”
“It is my second year at University and I am currently being taught Further Engineering Maths & Fluid Mechanics, Engineering Surveying, Structural Analysis and Sustainability in Practice. This is not only progressing my knowledge of civil and structural engineering but also allowing me to get a better understanding of different sectors within construction which I am not involved in directly but work alongside.”
What have you enjoyed most over the past 18 months?
“Over the last 18 months, I have enjoyed being able to gradually take more and more responsibility within projects and produce high quality designs for our clients. Looking back at each project is a great way for me to see how I am progressing and ensures me that this is a great route to be on for my career development.”
And finally… What are your aspirations for 5 years’ time?
“In 5 years’ time I’d like to have successfully completed my Degree Apprenticeship and be working on my end point assessment to become an Incorporated Engineer.”
Finley has been involved in a variety of projects, playing a valued part on all, from small housing developments to large factories and railway intersections, increasing his contribution and responsibility each time. And consistently exceeding expectations from the team.
Tom Peden, one of the Civil Engineers Finley has been working with, shared:
“Finley has seamlessly integrated with the team, consistently demonstrating that he’s a good listener and fast learner.
“His technical understanding has developed very quickly, and he’s already been heavily involved in the drafting/modelling design works on a variety of schemes.
“Finley is intelligent and polite, receiving praise for his hard work from several project managers. It’s evident that he’s on track to a very successful career.”
Will Green, Associate Director within our Civil & Structural Engineering team shared:
“It was clear when I first met Finley that he had the potential and drive to be successful at Civil Engineering, it’s really encouraging to see him making a superb start to his career.
“One of the best ways to align individuals’ skills to client projects is through on-the-job training. Finley collaborates and communicates extremely well within the team and has proven to be a very capable, dependable team member.”