Engineering apprenticeships at Metis: Aaron’s experience

At Metis, we offer 5-year engineering apprenticeships that enable budding engineers to explore what the industry has to offer, develop their professional civil and environmental engineering skills, and complete a university degree simultaneously!

We currently have three engineering apprentices on the Metis team, so we thought we’d catch up with one of our apprentices, Aaron, to see how he is finding his apprenticeship experience so far!

If you’re considering a career in engineering after your A-levels, we highly recommend you gain insight into what an engineering apprenticeship is like by reading our interview with Aaron below.

Have you always wanted to get into engineering?

Absolutely! Engineering is a profession that has always interested me. After completing my A Levels in Physics, Maths, and Geography, the opportunity arose to begin an apprenticeship here at Metis, so I took it!

How long have you been an engineering apprentice?

I’ve been an engineering apprentice at Metis since September 2020, so I’ll be going into my third year in January, which is very exciting!

What have you enjoyed about your experience so far?

I’ve loved that I feel like a real part of the team, despite coming straight from college with no formal experience. Everyone at Metis has been so welcoming, encouraging, and supportive. I also like that I’m getting great engineering experience here and education at the same time.

What kind of engineering projects have you been working on?

I work primarily within the Infrastructure Management team on various civil engineering projects. Much of the work I do revolves around mapping and assessing assets and maintenance networks to ensure they’re up to standard. I also have gained some experience planning for the Water Engineering team and Highways Engineering team.

What are some of the things you’ve learned while here?

Put in the broadest terms possible, I’ve gained an extensive understanding of how the civil engineering world works and how to work as part of a team.

I’ve gained excellent skills in using QGIS, which is mapping software used for creating web maps for clients and documenting assets.

I’ve also become adept at using programs like Microsoft Excel and AutoCAD as well as supplying text in HTML.

Overall, I’ve learned so much about the standards and best practices of engineering around highways infrastructure and the civil engineering industry in general.

What are your plans after your engineering apprenticeship ends?

When the apprenticeship is over, I want to become a chartered civil engineer, which boils down to experience and documenting my learning process through the university apprenticeship program.

Would you recommend the apprenticeship to others?

Yes, without a doubt, I would. The engineering apprenticeship is a true no-brainer for so many reasons.

Compared to a traditional university degree, with the apprenticeship, you’ll gain tons of experience working as part of a team, have no debt coming out of it, and be in a much more stable position when you’re ready to work full-time.

There have been so many doors opened up for me thanks to the apprenticeship – pretty much all of them in the civil and environmental engineering industry.

With my experience at the end of the apprenticeship, I can specialise in almost any area, from drainage to motorways, which is great!

Interested in engineering apprenticeships at Metis?

Keep an eye on our graduate opportunities page to apply for one of our open engineering apprenticeship, internship, or graduate roles.

Our team here at Metis can’t wait to connect with the engineers of tomorrow, ready to help us pave the way for a more sustainable future. Are you one of them? If so, we’d love to hear from you!