Course Title Level 3 Building Services Engineering
College Leeds College of Building
Course Duration 2 Years
Course Delivery Day Release
Why did you choose to become an apprentice?
I chose to become an apprentice as I thought it was the best way for me to get my foot in the door of the industry I wanted to work in. I knew that by starting as an apprentice it would give me a really good opportunity to learn about the trade first hand while gradually gaining knowledge, experience and responsibility. I also knew that I would be earning money while I was learning about the things I am interested in, so it was a win win situation.
How do you combine your work and studies?
When it comes to doing college work, I try to get the majority of my studies completed within the allocated college hours. I then supplement this where necessary by using a couple of my lunchbreaks each week so as to not let it impact my evenings too much. You need to allocate a few hours a week to keep up to date and ahead of schedule when it comes to your assignments so you need to be organised - this method works really well for me and I have managed to hand in all my assignments successfully on time.
What does a typical day consist of?
I am specialising in Electrical Design so 99% of my days are spent using software such as Revit and AutoCAD. Before starting at DBS I had never used either of these programmes but I’m now competent and confident enough to start completing my own drawings and get on with the task at hand without having to ask too many questions. At the moment I am working on a job called Pilgrim’s Quarter which is a project based in Newcastle worth £32 million. The design for this project is Revit based so a typical day consists of putting our services into the model and making sure our design works and fits the needs of the client.
What opportunities / progression have you made / taken advantage of already in your career?
Since joining DBS in 2022 I’ve made lots of progress when it comes to learning about the industry. I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity to go to site and attend meetings and know this is the best way to learn how design and contracts work together. I’ve also been fortunate enough to attend a couple of factory tours by our suppliers. SG Lighting took us to their factory in Denmark and showed us how their lights are manufactured and tested. It was a really interesting experience, and great to see first hand.
How do you hope your career will progress in the future?
I am happy with how I’m progressing and would like to continue working towards becoming a capable and trusted Design Engineer. I am learning more and more about electrical design every week and hope that once I have completed my studies I will be trusted to take charge of my own project.
What do you like most about working at Derry Building Services?
The thing I like most about working at DBS is the people. Whether that be the people you sit next to in the office, the teams you are working closely with on projects, or those you see in passing, everyone is very friendly and easy to talk to which helped me a lot when I first joined. It feels like you are working with friends and not just work colleagues and I find that makes me much more productive and contributes to a much better working environment.
What advice would you give to anyone considering an apprenticeship?
If I could give one piece of advice it would be to take every opportunity that’s presented to you - you never know where it could lead. Before I started at DBS I was completing an Electrical Installations course at Newark College, I always tried to show a willingness to learn and enthusiasm for the course as I knew that it would help to prove my commitment if any industry placements came up. As part of my coursework I had to complete an electrical design, unbeknown to me DBS had contacted the college to see whether they had any students looking for a design apprenticeship, and it was the interest and enthusiasm that I had shown for this particular project that made my tutors put my name forwards for the opportuntity.
