MEET THE APPRENTICE

Lewis Mosey Lyall, an apprentice Civil Engineer at Pat Munro (Alness) Ltd for the last 7 months tells us a little bit about what its like to be an apprentice, what skills he has learnt and why he’d encourage others to take their next step into the world of work and a Modern Apprenticeship.

Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?

I wanted the chance to gain an industry recognised qualification and an apprenticeship at Pat Munro has allowed me to learn, earn and gain experience all at the same time, opening up opportunities for my future.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Mostly I’ve worked on housing sites, which involves setting out where foundations will go as well as setting out for blockwork. I’m also involved in setting up profile boards for road construction and providing levels to work off. There’s also paperwork that must be completed such as check sheets and checklists.

What skills have you learnt?

The key skills I have learnt the most in this job are communication and teamwork. Working with a variety of people on site means you rely on each other to get the work done and also exchanging information at different stages throughout the project. I have learnt that its ok to ask questions as there’s always someone there to give you an answer and it can help you learn more about why something is happening or why it’s done. I’ve also really enjoyed learning how to use equipment that is essential for working on a construction site such as the Total Station, Dumpy Level and Laser level.

What’s the best bit about being an apprentice?

I would say the fact that you are going to college and learning while you earn. Also getting to work on a variety of tasks and projects in the real world of work.

What advice would you give as a young person to a young person about becoming an apprentice?

If you’re unsure about what step to take after leaving school and are a person who likes to get hands on practical experience, then I’d recommend an apprenticeship. You get to work alongside experienced professionals and learn from them as well as gain a qualification that you can take with you through the whole of your career.

Kerry Wilkie, People & Culture Lead at Pat Munro (Alness) Ltd,

“We have had various apprentice positions over the years from Quantity Surveyors, Plant Operators, Highway Maintenance Operators and Business Administrators. Our vision at Pat Munro is “Building For The Next Generation” and we truly believe that apprentices are the essence of our organisation. We are passionate about attracting and developing the next generation of workforce. If you’re an employer considering taking on an apprentice, we’d highly recommend it as you get the chance to tap into a new talent pool and bring fresh new innovative ideas into your business as well as build a future pipeline of well trained, motivated individuals, all of whom contribute to the growth of our industry”