Are you looking to get on the career ladder? The Property and Construction sector is a great place to build your career. This sector currently employs around 2,600 people locally, with the share of employment broadly in line with the national average.

Currently there is a growing number of active housing sites in Chesterfield and these will drive construction growth alongside the development of new commercial sites such as Chesterfield Waterside and Staveley Corridor. You can learn more about this specific sector on the My Future careers platform.

There are many benefits to taking an apprenticeship as a career route, especially in the Property and Construction sector.

Growing number of apprenticeship vacancies

There is a growing number of apprenticeship vacancies becoming available as the sector expands.

Andy Dabbs, Architect and Board Director at Chesterfield-based Whittam Cox Architects explains: “The importance of apprenticeship programmes cannot be underestimated, particularly in the post-Brexit environment and the associated skills gap that is challenging so many businesses. Not only can these programmes provide individuals with the required skills for work but they are also more accessible, providing a platform that may otherwise not be available to so many talented candidates.

Right now the construction industry is seeing a period of growth and given the impact of the last 18 months this is a fantastic place to be. What we cannot now afford is for that growth to be stifled by an inability to attract the required employees, and this is where apprenticeships will no doubt become increasingly important to our sector.”

You can find all current apprenticeship vacancies available in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire here.

Learning on the job

Apprenticeships allow you to learn new skills on the job, whilst also earning a wage.

Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director of Devonshire Property Group, said: “Apprenticeships are, and have been, the life blood of the construction industry for many many years.  They are a great way for people to learn on the job and perfect their skills, whilst reaping the benefits of employment.

We all live, work or play in buildings at some point in our daily lives and being part of creating those spaces is one of the most rewarding feelings there is.  This takes on even more importance as today’s apprentices will be learning the skills that will re-shape those places, where we live and work, making them more environmentally friendly and directly tackling the impacts and in some cases the causes of climate change.”

The Apprentice Perspective

Kieran Cox – Inspire Design and Development Ltd

Why did you choose an apprenticeship in this sector and what do you enjoy about it?

“My course is the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Construction Contracting Operations and my job title is Apprentice CAD Technician. Often I will be recreating sketched drawings into AutoCAD and mocking up drainage plans under supervision, I chose to work in the Construction industry as I believe it’s an opportunity to show the works you create along the way, this comes as a source of job satisfaction for myself and for others also, seeing developments I have had a hand in be built and work as intended always inspires me to learn further.”

What are the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship as a route to get into the sector?

“I feel that there are many obvious benefits with an apprenticeship, especially in terms of having first-hand experience at the jobs you potentially may work in, and should you not find that specific job is for you, you’re still learning towards other newer opportunities such as civil engineering. Skills developed are transferable as construction is such a broad branch of work, which allows you to shift focus to a line of work not to dissimilar to the last.”

Aaron Wathall – Woodhead Group 

Why did you choose an apprenticeship in this sector and what do you enjoy about it?

“I am currently doing a technical apprenticeship, which involves experiencing different aspects of the business such as site management, project management, quantity surveying and estimating. However I do look at other areas of the business for a month, such as financing, social development of the sector etc. which I experience in the head office.

I chose an apprenticeship in construction because I was brought up around it all my life working with my dad on property development including renovating our bungalow which I did with my brother who is a joiner. I  also studied construction in school so I felt this was the right career path to go down. I enjoy meeting new people and getting knowledge from experienced sub-contractors and people on site. I also enjoy looking at the different build stages and watching certain works take place and finally seeing the completed project.”

What are the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship as a route to get into the sector?

“The benefits of doing an apprenticeship in this sector is you get to experience across lots of different areas of the business and are not fixed to one role. Also, all the knowledge and experience you gain from the apprenticeship can then help you make future career choices knowing what you enjoyed and liked most in the apprenticeship.”

Sam Bartram – Woodhead Group 

Why did you choose an apprenticeship in this sector and what do you enjoy about it?

“I chose a 2 year apprenticeship covering all aspects of the company including site management, project management, quantity surveying, estimating and support services. This allows me to see how people own it, achieve it and improve it – the company values. I chose the apprenticeship within construction due to the fact that I previously worked as a shop fitter and wanted a challenge within a different area of construction. I enjoy the fact that this programme allows us to trial and chose our future career path and I’m looking forward to covering these.”

What are the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship as a route to get into the sector?

“The benefit of an apprenticeship route in my opinion is that you are provided with expert experience and knowledge in the field of construction learning first-hand and then getting the qualifications to back up the internal training plans. This was a key factor for me choosing this route.”

Learn more about apprenticeships from current apprentices in Chesterfield here.