Apprenticeship degrees: advancing careers in construction

An apprenticeship degree in building control delivered by the University of Wolverhampton in association with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Local Authority Building Control has helped built environment professionals progress their careers and become chartered while remaining at work. Three recent graduates shared their experience with CIOB People.

Q: What skills and knowledge were you looking to achieve through the apprenticeship degree?

A: Mostly technical skills regarding on-site construction and the Building Regulations. Also, providing technical solutions to construction projects and challenging my customer service skills by learning how to enforce Building Regulations breaches in a professional manner.

In my previous role as team leader to the support team, it was very much ‘the customer is always right’ mentality. However, with building control this is certainly not always the case.

The degree addressed my skills gap: although the learning was intense and full, the teachers and course leaders were brilliant, knowledgeable and supportive.

It also provided me with skills I didn’t realise I needed, such as presentation skills and group working.

I feel the assessments provided throughout the degree, such as the exams and interviews, will help me with my upcoming competency exams – set out by the Building Safety Regulator – by inadvertently helping me practise interview and examination settings.

Q: What did you find most challenging and rewarding about the apprenticeship degree?

A: Managing university work alongside a full-time job was very challenging.

Although the apprenticeship allows for 20% (one day a working week) for study, this was usually taken up with two four-hour lectures. Much of the studying was conducted in my own time and required commitment and discipline.

The most rewarding part was my results: I obtained a first class with honours and full membership with CIOB and CABE. This made me feel like the hard work and studying at weekends was entirely worth it.

I very much appreciate the apprenticeship programme setting up the End Point Assessment interview with CIOB and CABE – it was a brilliant opportunity.

Another reward was making friends and becoming part of a great network, with my university colleagues under the same apprenticeship scheme. We still keep in touch and provide support and advice for one another.

Q: Has the programme helped you progress in your professional career?

It has helped me completely change the course of my career into something I am interested in and feel passionate about.

The fact that I was able to complete a degree without any student debt to follow is something I am extremely grateful for.

Since completing the degree, I get to work on more complicated and interesting projects, and I hope that continues as my experience grows.

I hope to become a senior building control officer soon. Having the qualifications that the apprenticeship has provided me with will certainly help me achieve that.

Q: What do you think was unique about this apprenticeship degree?

A: It was that my organisation, Swansea Council, paid for it through an apprenticeship role. It was a really good opportunity to come out with both a degree qualification and a potential career in the field I was working in.

The degree also helped me gain people management skills, such as dealing with conflict on site, and knowledge in all aspects of construction, including the legislation side of building control.

Q: How has the apprenticeship degree helped you progress in your career?

A: The skills and knowledge I learned about building legislation, people management and the construction sector have given me valuable career opportunities as a building control surveyor.

It also provided a route to become chartered with the CIOB, which I achieved after finishing the four-year apprenticeship degree.

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking this path?

A: This is an amazing opportunity, especially for someone with a background in construction or the built environment.

It’s a great way to learn a lot more about construction and potentially have a career in a good profession such as a building control officer or surveyor.

Once you get the qualification from the degree, it opens up opportunities to go into various areas of the construction field.

Although juggling work and the degree can be challenging, it is a rewarding experience, which also provides a route to becoming chartered.

Q: What was your professional background before you started your apprenticeship degree in building control?

A: I had always worked in property. When I left school, I worked in an estate agency for four years, then did property valuation work.

After that, I worked for Taylor Wimpey, a large home developer, for seven years in new home construction, working my way up to site management roles.

This background in construction and working with Building Regulations compliance piqued my interest in building control.

Q: Why did you choose the apprenticeship degree route?

A: I chose it because I had two children and responsibilities such as a mortgage, so I couldn’t afford to not work and take two to three years off to get a degree. The apprenticeship allowed me to earn money while learning.

I also felt the apprenticeship degree was the best of both worlds because I could learn theory but also work alongside and shadow people to learn practical skills. This allowed me to learn something from a book one day and then see it on site the next day.

Doing the learning and working alongside each other meant I could constantly reference and correlate what I was learning with what I saw, making it easier to apply the knowledge.

This addressed any skills gaps, as it would be difficult to remember theory learned in a classroom and apply it on site later.

Q: How has the apprenticeship helped in your career?

It has helped me in several ways: I was promoted to an area role within 14 months due to the transferable skills and knowledge gained from the degree.

I also progressed to a senior role shortly after completing my degree and becoming chartered.

Achieving chartered status as part of the degree streamlined the process compared with doing it separately after the degree.

I was promoted to manager at the start of this year, so the apprenticeship has really supported my career progression within my organisation.