Highways England apprentice scheme

As part of Apprenticeship Week, Highways England has been urging people to sign up and become one of the dozens of apprentices the company plans to recruit this year.

Managing England’s motorways and major trunk roads, Highways England is responsible for some of the country’s biggest construction projects, and works with numerous apprentices across its projects. In the next few months, Highways England will take on up to 75 apprentices, with places made available through its website.

Highways England’s apprenticeship scheme supports the government goals to create 30,000 apprenticeships in road and rail by 2020. New recruits will be helping to play a part in modernising England’s strategic road network by developing and delivering technically advanced projects. These include schemes such as the A303 Stonehenge improvements and The Lower Thames Crossing.

The company currently offers apprenticeships in business administration, IT, electrical engineering and civil engineering and Human Resources. It is planning to extend the list to include accounts, quantity surveying, transport planning and project management.

This year’s Highways England apprentice of the year, project manager Amelia Kirwan aged 19, said: “I urge anyone in my position to see what Highways England has to offer.

“The opportunities available to me are huge. Highways England supports my learning and I am able to explore different areas of a varied sector. Our roads are an important part of everyone’s day-to-day lives and are heavily relied upon and therefore my role is really important.

“Completing my apprenticeship will result in me achieving a Diploma in Project Management that is recognised worldwide – the possibilities are endless!”

San Johal, Highways England Human Resources Director said: “This is a great time to join our team. We are investing in the next generation, and our apprenticeships are open to all and are a real alternative to traditional routes like university.

“With the UK needing an extra 20,000 engineering graduates a year, Highways England is taking part in the Year of Engineering. This national campaign is all about showing young people what an engineer is, and what they can achieve.

“For Highways England we need a continuing pipeline of young engineers to help deliver the massive investment planned for our motorways and major A-roads, benefitting the economy and improving people’s lives.”

Highways England continues to develop strong relationships with schools and colleges as part of a wider ‘early talent’ recruitment plan, to encourage children to continue the study of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, helping to inspire the engineers and construction professionals of tomorrow.

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