My Willmott Dixon apprenticeship

Rylie is a key part of our team transforming the railway museum for Darlington Borough Council, helping to create a major tourist destination right in the heart of her hometown. Rylie tells us all about life as an apprentice.

What inspired you to begin a career in construction?

I took part in some work experience, organised by Speakers for Schools that Willmott Dixon and other construction companies were involved in, and I got to know more about the construction industry. It was an online experience called Construction Collaboration and I was able to meet lots of different people. I carried out a project where we planned and designed a school for the future. Willmott Dixon really stood out to me for the opportunities they had to offer and how highly their people spoke about working there. I was also able to learn about the different pathways into the construction industry which I found really interesting, and I decided that I couldn’t wait to find out more!

Rylie attending a careers fair

Talk us through a day at Darlington Railway Heritage Quarter?

I attend morning safe start meetings with all the supply chain supervisors. This meeting is important as we plan the day ahead and prepare to solve any potential problems that could arise. It’s a challenging part of the role as you have to think of different solutions to potential problems but also be ready to deal with the unexpected.

In addition to this, I will create the daily diary that records numbers and activities on site, any delays, visitors, and significant events that have taken place. Something that is really exciting is filming using Oculo to capture the daily progress on site and help the team to create progress checks throughout the project. Tasks such as the weekly environmental inspection, meetings about upcoming works and collaborative planning are activities I get involved with every week. All of these activities are giving me a wider understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a site manager.

I’m really enjoying my time as an apprentice and continue to learn new things each day from the team. There are so many great things happening that I’m able to get involved with which has been super insightful.

What have you learnt while on your apprenticeship?

I have only been on my apprenticeship for around five months but I can say that working on site is a huge advantage. I am able to apply what I have learnt at college to a real-life project. I enjoy collaborating with the site team and feel this is helping me to further my knowledge and understanding of the skills a site manager needs. For me, every day communication and collaborative skills are at the forefront of everything I do.

Organising collections for local charities

If you had to choose the most enjoyable part of your apprenticeship, what would it be?

One thing I think is great at Willmott Dixon is being able to get involved in social value events and activities. Since beginning my apprenticeship, I have attended a careers fair, mock interviews at a local school, helped support a local foodbank, got involved with a Christmas collection for a local charity and took part in a local school visit. I think social value is a really important aspect, specifically the work we do with local schools and young people. I even had the chance to inspire students on work experience, and it was so exciting to be on the other side, telling them about what a brilliant opportunity it is! I hope I encouraged them to give it a shot. This is why I really enjoy engaging with local students because I know the impact that social value activities can have on students, as the work experience that Willmott Dixon delivered to me, impacted the route I chose to take and my choice of career.

What would you say to anybody considering an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are great! I am surrounded by industry professionals, I am learning actively on the job and getting hands on experience of being in the construction industry. This has been in addition to gaining my qualifications and being able to transfer my experience on site to my course at college. This has made my experience at college better, since I am able to be visualise what we are learning and use my experience of being on a construction site to help my studies. I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship if you’re looking for hands on experience while still learning.

What’s your top tip that you’d give to a potential apprentice?

I think it’s important for people thinking about getting involved in apprenticeships to be open minded, willing to learn and to get involved in as much different activities as possible. You are only going to get the most out of your apprenticeship if you’re willing to learn. Ask a lot of questions, I’ve learnt a lot from observing and asking questions!

If you’d like to find out more about apprenticeships at Willmott Dixon, visit here