Transport Scotland supports Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Scottish Apprenticeship Week is underway and we’re celebrating the benefits apprenticeships can bring to our organisation and economy and what we are doing to help provide these opportunities.

Roy Brannen, Chief Executive of Transport Scotland said: “We know how important it is to support our young people through these routes, helping them to learn on the job and gain the valuable experience they need, whilst working towards their qualification.

“That’s why we are committed to providing apprenticeship opportunities through our procurements to help engage and inspire the next generation of engineers. We also provide opportunities within the organisation, giving our young people a chance to work within a business environment. I’d like to thank all our partners and those who work with us for their commitment to providing these opportunities and supporting our young people.”

Fiona - Civil Engineering Graduate Apprentice

Since April 2019, the A77 Maybole Bypass Project has supported six Modern Apprentice and five Graduate Apprentice opportunities. As part of a Graduate Apprenticeship Civil Engineering Programme, which is operated in partnership with Strathclyde University, our contractor Wills Bros Civil Engineering was delighted to welcome Fiona Thomson to join the site team for the project.

Fiona, who is local to the town of Maybole, is currently studying for a BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Graduate Apprenticeship Programme. This Programme allows her to study for her degree whilst also working locally on a site and obtaining valuable experience in a number of aspects of civil engineering.

Fiona will gain experience of each of the different aspects of construction site activity which will include; project management, health and safety and environmental management.

She said: “I really welcome this opportunity to work on an engineering project of this scale and particularly to be part of an improvement which will deliver significant benefits for my local neighbourhood. Being a Graduate Apprentice is giving me the opportunity to put what I am learning as part of my degree in civil engineering into practice.”

Carol - Construction Modern Apprentice

Carol Fleming has recently completed her Construction Technical Modern Apprenticeship on the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement Project. Having gained a wealth of experience onsite with Contractor Farrans Construction, Carol said: “I knew when I was at school that I wanted to work in the construction industry. I had a keen interest in maths and physics and loved spending time outdoors.

“I have been working onsite on the Haudagain Improvement Project in Aberdeen for Farrans since 2019 when I undertook a construction technical Modern Apprenticeship. This allowed me to enhance my existing skills, covering a wide range of topics such as the management of construction planning, estimating, highways maintenance, building and civil engineering.

“Modern Apprenticeship courses provide a great opportunity to learn on the job. My typical day is varied and can involve using GPS and total station, liaising with subcontractors and completing site paperwork.”

Nicole - Previous Transport Scotland Modern Apprentice

Nicole Irvine first joined Transport Scotland in 2018 as a Modern Apprentice and said: “Since joining, I have worked in the Network Administration team, the Constitution and External Affairs team, carried out a temporary Business Manager role in Strategy & Analysis and have now managed to gain a permanent business manager role in the Roads Directorate.

“The Modern Apprenticeship Programme has helped me massively and the support I received during it allowed me to progress my career to where I am. I have recommended the programme to many of my friends as the progression and benefits are great for young people trying to progress their careers.”