2025 Apprenticeship Week Spotlight Review

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 10th - 16th February 2025

SKILLS FOR LIFE

SKILLS FOR LIFE

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NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 10TH-14TH FEBRUARY 2025 As a business we are continually committed to delivering Eric’s belief in supporting young people and creating long term sustainable employment opportunities.

It's so important that we continue to plan for the future and develop the skills of our workforce. Apprentices are a perfect way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

We currently have 42 apprentices and 23 employees on apprenticeships throughout our business in roles in onsite operations, within facility management, IT, data & analytics and administration. With a range of experience we have individuals studying from Level 2 right through to Level 6 qualifications.

Apprenticeships can be demanding on an individual, but I am pleased to see with the support they are provided by the L&D team and their managers our apprentices are thriving. We are proud of them all, their hard work in both their roles within the business and in their studies.

They create excitement for the future. Thank you to everyone involved in apprenticeships at Eric Wright - your contribution is invaluable to our business.

Jeremy Hartley - Group Chief Executive

#NAW2025 THE WEEK IN VIEW MONDAY

TUESDAY

Skills For Life

A Day in the Life

Skills aren’t just for apprentices! They are for everyone, for life.

Today we will share some resources on skills relevant for now and the future.

Today we will share some stories of when some special guests visited our apprentices and learnt about their work and learning journey

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Apprentice Wednesday

T Level Thursday

Don’t just take our word for it, hear what our apprentices have to say

It isn’t just apprenticeships that offer opportunities. T-Levels are a thing too. Learn all about them and hear from the experts!

FRIDAY

Celebration Friday

Today we celebrate our apprentices!

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SKILLS FOR LIFE AI - ARITIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

01.

A free online course that is designed to help equip those with little or no understanding of AI with the foundational knowledge, skills and competencies they need to engage more confidently with the current and emerging applications of AI.

Click Here for more info

MICROSOFT SKILLS

02.

Learn how to use Microsoft Outlook, an email program used in the workplace.

Find out how to do things like: send an email book a meeting manage your calendar organise a to-do list and much more

Click Here for more info

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

03.

Wellbeing is not just the absence of disease or illness. It's a combination of a person's physical, mental, emotional and social health factors. Wellbeing is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction, and could be described as how you feel about yourself and your life.

How can you improve your health and wellbeing?

Click Here for more information

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WILL CROMPTON Eric Wright Water Apprentice Electrician

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WILL CROMPTON Eric Wright Water Apprentice Electrician Brian Walmsley, our Eric Wright Water Operations Director, visited Will in his role. Here’s his story: “I recently had the pleasure of meeting one of our remarkable electrical apprentices, Will Crompton, who is in his final year and set to qualify in March 2025. It’s great to see how much he has learned since joining Eric Wright Water. His competence and strong work ethic are evident in everything he does.

During the site visit Will explained the work he’s involved in and the broader scope of the project. I was particularly impressed with his in-depth knowledge of our isolation procedures, which is a current focus area for us at EWW. A special shoutout to Will's mentor, Ross Wylie, for his exceptional guidance and support. It's clear that Ross's mentorship has played a significant role in Will's development.

With employees like Will and mentors like Ross - Eric Wright Water will continue to strengthen its position in the market”

A DAY IN THE LIFE JAKEOB REDMOND Eric Wright Water

Apprentice Groundworker

A DAY IN THE LIFE JAKEOB REDMOND Eric Wright Water

Apprentice Groundworker

Liam Cartwright, our EWW Framework Manager (North West), visited Jakeob in his role. Here’s his story: “Today, I spent the morning with Jakeob at the Sika House Project in Preston.

Jakeob explained that since enrolling on his apprenticeship in September 2024, he has been learning skills such as manual handling, flagging, and shuttering at college. Working under the supervision of his colleagues Keith Redmond, Lee Robson, and Pete Thornton, the kerbing work Jakeob was undertaking today clearly demonstrated how he is applying these skills in his daily work at EWW. Jakeob and I spoke about his nomination for Construction Apprentice of the Year at Salford College and how much this means to him. He should be immensely proud of what he has achieved so far, and I will be cheering him on at the upcoming Apprentice Awards Ceremony on 13th February.

A DAY IN THE LIFE DANIEL COOKE

Eric Wright Construction Apprentice Site Manager

ERIC WRIGHT - CHAIRMAN

A DAY IN THE LIFE DANIEL COOKE

Eric Wright Construction Apprentice Site Manager

Eric Wright, our Chairman, visited Daniel in his role. Here’s his story: “Today, I visited Daniel, our Apprentice Site Manager at his current site, Willow House, Salford.

Daniel’s passion is clear to see and we had a great talk about his progress so far. He showed me around site and talked me through the different areas of the project he is currently managing, including the different brickwork samples that have recently been approved by the Council. Also, he took me to see the sample panel for the Passive House and talked me through the rigorous testing for each stage. His wealth of knowledge and understanding was evident.

We sat together and I learnt more about Daniel, how he manages his studies alongside working and how he got into the role. I shared stories from when the company first started and its journey to date, telling Daniel about the practical jokes we used to inflict on each other on site. I’m glad Daniel hasn’t been sent for ‘a long stand’.

Site visits are paramount to getting to know the people that make up the company. It is great to see the future of our business and its people are in secure hands.”

ERIC WRIGHT - CHAIRMAN

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Harry Molyneux EWC Apprentice Quantity Surveyor

HOW IT BEGAN Upon finishing school / college I knew I didn’t want to go back into full time education (full time university) an apprenticeship in the construction industry allowed me to gain hands on experience from seeing drawings into them being constructed on site which helped me understand from a drawing to the finished product.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING This has helped me gain a greater understanding of my role as an apprentice quantity surveyor by understanding what I’m quantifying and pricing because of the hands-on experience I’m receiving which has helped me develop in my role.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT My apprenticeship has lead me to developing numerous skills that I wouldn’t have achieved if I went down the traditional route of university full time.

JOY OF LEARNING I’m able to see the work being physically constructed on a daily basis.

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY George Calvert EWW Apprentice Mechanical Fitter

HOW IT BEGAN Since joining Eric Wright Water in September 2023, I have really enjoyed my time. Currently, I am in my second year as an apprentice mechanical fitter and looking forward to continuing my learning through further apprenticeship levels in the future

CONTINUOUS LEARNING Combining working on-site and attending college has provided me with lots of transferable skills including communication, time management and practical work.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT During my time so far, I have learnt about the different processes in the water and wastewater industry. Specific projects I have worked on include working on pipework, bridges and hand railings.

JOY OF LEARNING Working on different projects with experienced managers and surveyors and learning from them was really enjoyable

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Lexie Ayrey EWCE Apprentice Trainee Site Engineer

HOW IT BEGAN I studied construction as a GCSE, followed by a BTEC in Professional Construction. This allowed me to see the work between the Eric Wright Learning Foundation and the college. I contacted Eric Wright for the opportunity to take part in their work experience programme: WOWEx. From this, I knew I wanted a career in civil engineering. When I saw the apprenticeship opportunity at Eric Wright, I applied and was successful in getting selected.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING College provides the theory behind the industry but the experience from working on site allows me to consolidate my learning and see how my role contributes to the project as a whole. I have found that the job of an engineer is a lot more involved than just engineering and I am able to learn different skills e.g. how to use a Cat & Genny and will be working towards a supervisory ticket to allow me to supervise others on site.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Every day is different, and challenges that arise mean I have to adapt in order to get the information I need. Working with different engineers has taught me different ways of doing this, as has working and learning from others on site as their expertise is invaluable.

JOY OF LEARNING For me the joy of learning comes from doing the practical day to day job and learning from those with more experience and seeing projects come to life.

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Sa’ad Bariwala EWCE Trainee Site Engineer

HOW IT BEGAN When finding the right apprenticeship, it’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses, and subjects you enjoy. Then use these to pick which field you want to specialise in. Finding an exact apprenticeship was not what I did because I still wanted to keep my options a bit open, but I knew I wanted to do engineering so my efforts were heavily based around this.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING Starting an apprenticeship is strange, there is a lot to digest and it feels unreal. The support you get is excellent as Eric Wright have had many apprenticeships before so are familiar with the process, and know which parts will be a struggle. The experience you gain from hands on experience is second to none and how I learn best.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The training courses provided give an opportunity to connect with others at the company and fill the gaps in industry knowledge that you wouldn’t get from a traditional classroom.

JOY OF LEARNING I see how everything comes together, and how the drawings come alive in front of your eyes using your setting out and surveying.

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Joel Cunningham EWW Apprentice Electrician

HOW IT BEGAN I joined Eric Wright in June 2024 as an Apprentice Electrician.

After a short time on probation I started on an apprenticeship.

My experience so far has been very positive and I feel part of the team

CONTINUOUS LEARNING I’ve expanded my practical skills through hands on electrical work on sites while also learning the theory behind it at college.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The apprenticeship has also been very eye opening to the progression that is available to me. I would recommend the apprenticeship to anyone who is willing to work hard to secure themselves great life skills and a strong career.

JOY OF LEARNING Working on different projects with experienced managers and learning from them is really enjoyable.

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Daniel Cooke EWC Apprentice Site Manager

HOW IT BEGAN I began my career at Eric Wright on a four-month placement which resulted in me joining Eric Wright Construction on a degree apprenticeship in Project Management, I am currently in my second year.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING I began shadowing Site Managers and Project Managers following on to managing my own packages of work on site.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT I am currently managing whole sections of projects that has significantly benefitted my learning at University through gaining years of experience whilst studying and developing my skills in the classroom and on site.

JOY OF LEARNING

The best part of my apprenticeship is getting to use my classroom knowledge in real life scenarios to manage the construction of projects, which not only further develops my studies, but also benefits the community that surrounds it and uses it. Seeing so many communities and people happy with finished projects, I have had involvement in, is a great feeling.

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Macy Noblet EWCE Project Support Coordinator

HOW IT BEGAN Choosing to do a degree apprenticeship for me was a no brainer, as the idea of learning on the job seemed to me like the best way to learn, I joined Eric Wright Civil Engineering in 2024 and am really enjoying it.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING I could never have imagined how good an apprenticeship could be, learning something new every day and applying what I learn in the classroom to my role.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Every day I am surrounded by people who have worked in the industry for years and have vast amounts of knowledge and experience that they are more than happy to share with me

JOY OF LEARNING Being on site and watching things come to life is amazing and being able to see the things I am learning about at university first hand is invaluable.

MY APPRENTICE JOURNEY Liam King EWG Apprentice IT Support Technician

HOW IT BEGAN I built computers and specialised in hardware before joining this apprenticeship. Now, I focus on the software sides of things. I wanted to work in IT as it’s the future.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING I am learning how to become an IT Support worker through online courses in college.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT I learn with a company called Baltic. They are teaching me the fundamentals of becoming a helpdesk team member.

JOY OF LEARNING I enjoy helping people and I’m learning new things each day, picking up new skills, this helps me improve in my job role and allows me to help more people when I’m needed.

T-LEVELS TELL US MORE.....

T-levels are a 2 year course, an alternative to A-levels. They are a technical qualification which give students technical and practical skills to help them learn their profession. The course includes a 315 hour placement in industry preparing students for entry into skilled employment, an apprenticeship or higher education The Eric Wright Group is committed to supporting students studying Construction and Civil Engineering T-level courses in the areas where we are working. We currently have 11 students on sites in Construction, Civils and Water businesses. We recognise that there is a skills gap in our industry and by supporting the next generation of young people we can do something to help address this and safeguard the future.

T-level placements enable us to work with students at an early stage in their careers, we get to identify shining stars and create opportunities for them, they get to try the business and find out if their values align with ours. Students get to try a variety of roles and maybe consider ones they had not previously thought about. As a business we are exploring how we can support additional T-level subjects in Business Admin, Finance and Childcare.

CATHERINE ASHCROFT EWLF Education Co-ordinator

T-LEVELS BENEFITS OF OFFERING A T LEVEL WORK PLACEMENT Early access to a talent pipeline, helping with recruitment and skill shortages.

Being recognised as innovative and forwardthinking and building evidence/case studies of your credentials as a good employer.

Extra help with projects.

Opportunity to develop your team’s mentoring and management skills.

Attracting a new generation of recruits with fresh ideas and innovative work practice.

Developing a diverse workforce and opportunities for young people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Supporting social values and influencing learning for young people entering your industry.

T-LEVEL STUDENTS AQIL PATEL I'm really enjoying my work placement and working on the Clitheroe care home site.

I really enjoy working alongside industry professionals. The career path which I am most interested in and want to pursue is quantity surveying.

DANIEL CORNALL I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I learned a lot of valuable information regarding a career in the construction industry. I was already interested in the Quantity Surveying element and the time I spent with you made me realise this is definitely the path I would like go down.

T-LEVEL TO APPRENTICE OLIVER MCGONIGLE What made you choose a T-Level?

I have always been fascinated by the construction industry and a T level is one of the best ways to get into the construction industry at a higher standard than the typical trades.

How was your experience of completing a T-Level?

My experience of completing a T level was very good and I would honestly recommend it to anyone considering doing it.

The Highs?

Doing CAD, I understood it very well and I enjoyed doing it as it fascinated me since I do not like drawing on paper but on CAD it was very intriguing

The Lows?

Considering how good the T level is I would say it is quite hard to say what a Low point was but if I had to conclude the low point in my T level course, I would say it was the A level maths.

How was your placement?

I had 2 placements, the first was a good place and treated well however it wasn’t a place I could see my future. My second placement at Eric Wright Water was the best placement I could have imagined. The work is fascinating and there is always work to be done and jobs given to me, they have all treated me kindly while I have worked here and always respected me, I have thoroughly enjoyed this placement.

What’s next for you?

I have been employed at Eric Wright Water as a setting out engineer. I am going to university at Leeds Beckett for a Civil Engineering apprenticeship What advice would you give to anyone completing a T Level?

My advice to anyone completing a T level would be to consider your placement very carefully and try your best at the placement so you could hopefully be kept on furthering your career into the future.

T-LEVEL TO APPRENTICE NINA NWANZE What made you choose a T-Level?

For the opportunity to gain industry knowledge. I had always been interested in a career in construction, so the T-level course seemed the perfect next step. The units aligned with what I was interested in learning.

How was your experience of completing a T-Level?

It has been both fun and challenging. I’ve enjoyed speaking with people with experience in the industry and visiting different construction sites.

Learning and retaining all the information can be difficult but I think it would be the same with any course; being genuinely interested in the subject helped me retain what I’ve learnt.

The Highs?

For me this has definitely been the chance to gain work experience on an actual construction site through the required work placement.

The Lows?

The exams can be quite difficult and stressful. They’re always the worst part of any course, other than that everything else was good.

How was your placement?

I’ll be moving onto a degree apprenticeship in civil engineering with Eric Wright Water. I’m looking forward to learning more about construction and starting my career.

What’s next for you?

I have been employed at Eric Wright Water as a setting out engineer. I am going to university at Leeds Beckett for a Civil engineering apprenticeship

What advice would you give to anyone completing a T Level?

To try and pay attention in lessons, even though its not always easy, bits of knowledge you gain in the classroom can help in the work placement, so you don’t feel completely lost. Also, employers typically don’t expect college students to have construction knowledge, so showing that you do makes you look better.

CELEBRATION TIME As we celebrate National Apprentice Week 2025, we want to acknowledge all that our apprentices have achieved so far and also what they are capable of achieving in the future.

We are so excited to see where their talent and dedication will take both them as individuals and us as a business.

We are grateful to have you on our team!

Watch this space for our token of our appreciation

CALLING ALL MANAGERS Do you have an Apprentice that you want to sing and shout about??

Now's your chance....

Nominate them for our Lancashire Apprenticeship Awards.

Email egardner@ericwright.co.uk for details Closing date of 8pm on Thursday, March 26th.

CELEBRATION TIME NOMINATIONS In the last 12 months we have been nominated for...

Jakeob Redmond Construction Apprentice of the Year Finalist

Michelle Faulkner Health & Public Service Apprentice of the Year Finalist

Eric Wright Group Medium Employer of the Year Finalist

Jordan Rudd JTL Regional Award Winner Apprentice of the Year

Jordan Rudd JTL National Award Finalist Apprentice of the Year