The 10th National Apprentice Week was hailed as a success by apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon last week, but as he said the week 'is all about the people behind the announcements'.
After he shadowed one of AECOM's most senior managers last week, Transport Network speaks to Jolyon Winkler - trainee technician strategic planning and advisory, transportation - about his experience.
How have you found the week?
I found my time shadowing Dave Beddell, AECOM’s Europe sector leader for highways, an inspiring and eye-opening experience. It has made me more aware of the opportunities for advancing my career at AECOM. I also found it interesting to see how business decisions are made.
What are the key lessons you have learned?
Jolyon Winker and Dave Beddell
The main lesson I learned from my experience is to take every opportunity that is presented to you. From speaking to Dave, I discovered that he took opportunities during his career to broaden his knowledge and to understand different markets through travel, which has equipped him to do the job he now has.
I also learned that when you get to a certain level, the type of work you deliver starts to change. For example, I noticed that Dave spent a lot of time meeting people. He is influencing people, providing direction and making decisions but is less involved in the delivery of technical work.
What has surprised you about this experience?
I was surprised that the big bosses don’t have their own offices. I didn’t realise until this week that the company really does encourage agile working right up to the top. While shadowing Dave, I worked at AECOM’s central London Hub in Aldgate and noticed that everyone sits together, from apprentices to senior executives. Working in this way makes everyone seem a lot more approachable, regardless of their position.
Has it given you a taste for working in highways/engineering?
It has certainly given me a wider insight into how the industry works. I hadn’t previously realised just how big the industry is, or how much strategic decision-making is involved when looking at things like which projects to pursue.
What kind of context has this week given to the experience you already have?
At the moment I feel that I am in the bottom tier of a triangle and will hopefully one day be at the top. It was incredibly interesting to see how the top tier influences my daily work. No matter how small they may seem, I now realise what an important contribution my tasks can have on the bigger picture. Dave explained that a clock needs all of its cogs to function – not just the big ones!
What advice would you give to others entering highways/engineering?
Grasp every opportunity to learn from others who are more senior than you and ask lots of questions to get a better understanding of the company and profession. Try and get involved with a wide range of projects and work in as many different offices and teams that you can to expand your knowledge.
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