Student Case Studies

Construction Level 4 Apprenticeship - Marie

Marie knew she wanted to go into the Construction industry, and applied for a variety of Apprenticeships. It was after watching a documentary, however, that she knew this was the route she wanted to take. 

"I saw a documentary about the Thames Tideway project and was fascinated by it! I applied for an Apprenticeship with them and was successful. They had directed me to Jacobs, who are the Programme Managers for the project.”

She has now been working on the project with Jacobs for two years and loves learning new things and working on large-scale Civil Engineering Projects. As a Construction Engineering Apprentice, Marie is the "eyes and ears onsite for the Project Manager", overseeing contractor work and witnessing testing. 

Marie had previously studied a Level 3 course at a different training provider, but started looking at new Colleges and came across ESC: 

“I looked for Colleges during lockdown and approached the Apprenticeships Team at ESC. They seemed like they really knew what they were talking about.”

One day a week, Marie comes into College to work towards her qualification and is able to use examples from her job in her coursework.

“Working on-site also motivates me to do well at College.”

When asked about her tutors, Marie commented that she "can't speak highly enough of them" and shared that they have been very supportive of her dyslexia, something which Marie has not let be a barrier to her success. 

For Marie, an Apprenticeship was the obvious pathway, as it allows exposure to real-world experiences, something which university cannot always offer. She has also valued being part of a team, with the opportunity to learn from colleagues and watch how things are done. 

“You learn things that are so much more valuable and gain more technical knowledge and experience on-site. This is what’s more valued by employers.”

Marie is excited to continue working on the Thames Tideway Project, and progress onto new areas, such as the Thames Barrier, with Jacobs.

Gain a qualification and real-life experience with an Apprenticeship. Find out more here.