As we approach the end of the summer holidays and the A Level and GCSE results are in, we welcome two new apprentices into our ranks. This addition of two new young people, beginning their careers in construction, means that we now have 19 apprentices and trainee surveyors within our team.

At Martin Arnold we have a proven long-term commitment to training young people, helping to bring young talent into the sector and nurturing their growth as construction professionals. Throughout our 25-year history, we have continually employed apprentices, an achievement the practice is extremely proud of.

Making up 13% of our workforce, our apprentices work four days a week in their roles within the business and on the fifth day they attend university or college to carry out their academic studies.  We currently have apprentices on three different pathways, working towards Building Surveying, Quantity Surveying and Architecture degree.

Many of the apprenticeships will take five or more years to complete. Whilst this is a long-term commitment from us as a practice, it is also a serious commitment from the apprentices themselves and there are always challenges along the way. We work hard to support our apprentices in their academic studies and help them manage their academic and professional workloads.

This summer several of our apprentices graduated, including Will Stone; we asked him his views on apprenticeships now that he has completed the academic pathway for Building Surveying.

Why did you want an apprenticeship at Martin Arnold?

MA demonstrated a strong focus on training and supporting people to grow their skills organically. I was impressed by the welcoming, collaborative culture, where colleagues are keen to share knowledge and offer guidance. I knew this was an environment where I would be given every opportunity to develop as a Building Surveyor and progress in my career.

Would you recommend the apprenticeship route?

I would absolutely recommend the apprenticeship route. It allows you to see how the material you are taught in university is implemented in real-world situations, which not only deepens your understanding but also helps you retain information far more effectively.

What benefits do you see from being an apprentice?

It develops your technical skills while also building your confidence in applying them in real projects. It gives you the chance to form valuable relationships with colleagues, clients and industry contacts early in your career and, of course, it offers the added benefit of avoiding student debt and allowing you to earn as you learn!

Thanks to Will for his insights, and we look forward to supporting him with his next challenge, the RICS’ APC assessment. For now, he assures us that he has enjoyed his first summer without study!

If you would like to find out more about our apprenticeships and training opportunities, please check out our website here where you can get in touch and download our training brochure.