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Balancing the demands of work and study has equipped Jake Pratt for a career in construction
What attracted you to a career in construction?
I’ve always been interested in the physical environment and the process of how places and structures are built.
I didn’t know that much about it at school, but was keen to learn more and work in the construction industry, so I joined Russell Homes’ Building Student Programme.
The programme enabled me to gain the extensive knowledge I need for my current role. It has also given me a greater understanding and appreciation of the built environment around me.
What is a typical day in your job?
The best aspect of my job is that no two days are ever the same – the site is dynamic and every day poses new challenges.
My day can vary from scheduling works and programming, to dealing with client handovers and customer demonstrations which, in itself, brings further work to think about and organise.
As a manager, I’m also responsible for the daily management of health and safety, which includes site inductions for operatives and subcontractor briefings, as well as ongoing quality assurance management as the site progresses.
What skills and qualifications do you need for your role?
For my current role, you need a minimum of three A Level qualifications and other accreditations, which include the likes of a CSCS card, SMSTS training and first aid training.
The workload demands of the university course and being in almost full-time employment were extremely high, but it was exactly what I needed to expand my knowledge and adapt to life post-education
To progress further – to become a site manager and beyond – you need to be degree-qualified with significant experience. This in itself involves completing further accreditations, such as an ‘approved persons’ course or fire marshal training – all of which I hope to achieve in time.
How did you juggle the demands of work and study while completing Russell Homes’ Building Student Programme?
The workload demands of the university course and being in almost full-time employment were extremely high, but it was exactly what I needed to expand my knowledge and adapt to life post-education.
It was important for me to schedule my workload each week and update my diary with the personal and business tasks I needed to complete, highlighting every deadline to ensure none were missed.
Although it did involve some long nights essay-writing, the degree apprenticeship was by far the best route because it provided me with the best of both worlds.
What is your advice for construction employers who want to attract the next generation of talent?
My advice would be to offer degree apprenticeships or apprenticeship schemes that enable apprentices to experience working in different departments, which is similar to what I did.
It enables you to gain a wider knowledge of all the processes within the industry, from land acquisition and planning through to on-site construction and the aftercare process.
This gives the younger generation the opportunity to discover which area of the industry they would like to work in because it may not be what they first thought.
