NAW 2022 – Journey from NVQ bricklaying to university degree
We recently caught up with Construction Site Manager Degree Apprentice Liam Major, who is an Assistant Site Manager for Croudace Homes Ltd. Our very own Apprentice Marketing Projects Officer Alex Petrovic went to visit Liam on-site at his current construction project in Burgess Hill. Liam told us more about his journey through multiple apprenticeships.
“I’ve been working in the industry for about 7 years now. I started off with an NVQ, I then went on to do a Higher National Certificate in Building and the Environment, and now my degree – all through my employer.
“My first apprenticeship incorporated a bricklaying level 2 NVQ at Crawley College and it was on this same site here six years ago, which is in Burgess Hill, where I am now an assistant site manager.
“I went straight into my first apprenticeship from GCSEs. I didn’t mind school, but I was always someone that learnt better doing things practically rather than in a classroom. It was very difficult for me to be taught just sitting in front of someone with them telling me things rather than being, for example, here and I can see why the different things happen, why a certain tradesperson would go in before another and how that affects the next person. It just helps with linking everything together.
“I started my first apprenticeship when Croudace Homes Ltd approached the college and said to them they were looking to take people on and advertised the bricklaying apprenticeship through them. I also knew someone who was the year above me, who also had done the same apprenticeship. I applied for it because I was quite interested in trying to improve myself and get more involved in the industry. After that, I did my bricklaying level three with Crawley College and Higher National Certification in construction and the environment at East Surrey College, all whilst being supported by my employer.
“Shortly after I had completed my HNC, I decided that I wanted to progress to degree level and my employer said that they would back me as far as I wanted to go. I found the Construction Site Manager Degree Apprenticeship by doing my own research online and presenting it to my employer.
“What I learn on the apprenticeship programme directly links to my job. For example, a lot of the health and safety legislation and programmes such as Revit are what we use for creating our drawings so it’s all the same sort of software and systems. It has also given me a greater understanding of what other people are doing within the company as well and how other roles link, such as how surveyors are pricing things and where they get their rough guides, which directly affects me and my role.
“It’s also really beneficial for my employer because they get the long-term benefits of what you’ve learnt from working them and doing a degree at the same time. They’ve then got someone that’s been brought through the company, that knows the company their way and that will try and work to how they want to achieve things. And to be honest with you, I think it sort of helps both parties.
To anyone considering doing an apprenticeship, I would say definitely take it up, it’s worth getting started on. It’s a route that can help you get places, and you can still achieve the same things that other people do in different ways.”
Visit our website to find out more about our Construction Site Manager Degree Apprenticeship:
Alex Petrovic • 04/02/2022