AN Airdrie civil engineering technician has hailed his apprenticeship for putting him on a path to be recognised as one of the most promising civil engineering trainees in Scotland.
Lewis Marshall, currently in the final year of his apprenticeship with civil, structural and conservation engineering firm, Will Rudd, was recently awarded a £1,000 prize as part of the Queen’s Jubilee Scholarship Trust (QUEST) award from the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Based at Will Rudd’s Glasgow office, Lewis will complete his HNC in civil engineering later this year, having previously completed an HND in CAD at New College Lanarkshire.
“The team at Will Rudd has been very supportive of me during my apprenticeship, which has ultimately led me to winning this award and pushing me further in my career,” Lewis told Project Scotland.
“I enjoyed graphic communication and learning introductory CAD software at school, which prompted me to apply for a relevant college course and pursue a career in engineering.”
With the help of his lecturers, Lewis secured work experience with Will Rudd. “I was keen to demonstrate the skills I had learned at college and grasp the work experience opportunity with both hands,” he added.
The Will Rudd senior team were impressed with Lewis’ CAD ability and willingness to learn, so much so that they offered him an apprenticeship.
MJ O’Shaughnessy, MD of Will Rudd Glasgow, believes developing people from as early as possible in their careers is key to building a successful team. “There are many ways of becoming involved in civil engineering, and Lewis is a brilliant example of how successful you can be by doing an apprenticeship and learning from on-the-job training,” he explained.
“We try to do our bit in encouraging young people into the industry via work experience while promoting continuous development throughout their career.”
After his apprenticeship ends, Lewis is considering his next move in his career at Will Rudd, with achieving Eng Tech status with Institution of Civil Engineers or moving forward with a graduate apprenticeship just some of the options open to him.
“I liaise with my mentor Scott and other colleagues daily to discuss project work and my wider development. I am given a lot of responsibility on various projects and perform a key role in drawing delivery. These elements have combined to make me feel like a valued member of the team even though I am still learning.”
He says being able to work on projects from start to finish has made his career rewarding so far.
“When I was doing work experience with Will Rudd, I was supporting the team on drawings for a new PureGym in Rutherglen.
“I’ve continued to work on this project during my apprenticeship, and to see that ready to open now shows the real-life impact of our work.”
MJ concluded, “Ultimately, if we are to create a high-performing team that retains and recruits the best talent, then we need to provide professional development opportunities for every member, whether they are on work experience or have been working in the profession for decades.”
