Apprentice matchmaking event celebrates milestone

Held in the foyer of the SEE Building, the event, the first of many this year to celebrate the anniversary, was key for our future apprenticeship students to have a taste of their future studies and meet potential employers.

Apprenticeships here at Salford give students the opportunity to gain real workplace experience alongside their education. The courses usually entail attending one day of university per week and four days with their employer, which means that knowledge taught in the classroom can be carried over to their work.

Attended by employers within construction and engineering companies, the networking event included a short presentation from the University, introducing the apprenticeships journey and available programmes.

Arron Ward, Apprentice Development Manager at the University, said: “As we celebrate ten years of apprenticeships at the University, this matchmaking event was a powerful way to bring students and employers together in a meaningful and practical setting. Our aim was to give future apprentices a genuine insight into what their journey could look like, while enabling employers to meet talented individuals who will help shape their workforce for years to come. Events like this highlight the real value of apprenticeships – combining academic learning with hands on experience – and reinforce our commitment to developing strong partnerships that benefit students, employers and the wider industry.”

One of the employers present at the event was Novus Property Solutions, who are highly passionate about apprentices, with their own CEO, Lee Hartley, starting out as an apprentice. Novus offer apprenticeships within areas such as Quantity Surveying and Carpentry and have taken on apprentices for the last 90 years.

Clare Bouton, from Novus Property Solutions, said: “Taking on apprentices, we get a fresh perspective and new ways of thinking. As Novus marks 90 years of hiring trainees, apprentices continue to be a real passion for us. They are a long-term investment: we support apprentices through their education and on-the-job learning, and in return we develop committed employees who grow and progress within our business.”

And Amy Fitzsimon, also from Novus said: “We have the opportunity to help people grow into the roles we know will be essential for us in the future. Learning on the job benefits apprentices because it allows them to develop not only from an educational perspective but also through hands-on experience with established professionals within the company. These experienced colleagues share valuable knowledge – not only about our business but also about the wider construction industry – helping apprentices gain practical insights that complement their formal training.

Another employer present was GRAHAM, who have been around for over 200 years and believe that their apprentices will shape the future of construction. GRAHAM offer apprenticeships within areas such as the Construction Site Management and Quantity Surveying.

Danielle McDowell, from GRAHAM, said: “At today’s event, we are looking for individuals who will shape the future of GRAHAM, becoming our leaders of tomorrow. Many of our apprentices have progressed through the company to become senior site agents and even directors. The long-term commitment and growth we see through apprenticeships strengthen our legacy. We need forward-thinking people who can carry us into the 21st century, bringing fresh ideas from the classroom into the workplace.”

Furthermore, a short Q&A session saw a panel of current apprentices share their own experiences juggling working alongside their studies, as well as their own journeys into the degree apprenticeship.

Alysia Rigg, who recently completed her apprenticeship in Construction Project Management and now works as an Assistant Project Manager at Shift Project Management.

Alysia said: “I chose the degree apprenticeship as I didn’t want to move away from home, and I wanted to get straight into work as I am someone who hates being bored. The workplace aspect is intense, and you are given a lot more responsibility when you’re further into your apprenticeship, but every day is different and it is extremely rewarding too.”

Also a part of the panel, was Niamh Nugent, 4th year Quantity Surveying student and Assistant Quantity Surveyor at NGBailey.

Niamh said: “I couldn’t recommend the apprenticeship enough, it’s been amazing and I think that if you can get a degree without having to pay for it, you should definitely go for it – I’ll have four years work experience, no debt and a qualification, so choosing it over the traditional university route was a no-brainer.”