Construction Materials Technician Apprentice (Level 3) - Balfour Beatty

Location: Lochgilphead, Argyll and Bute

Working for Balfour Beatty

Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group. They design, build, finance and operate the major infrastructure that we all depend on. With over 110 years of experience in delivering highly complex infrastructure schemes through to projects at the heart of local communities, they operate with the highest levels of quality, safety, and technical expertise, integrate with customers and local supply chains and support local communities.

The Package

• Starting salary of £20,350 - £24,985 per year (depending on age)
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Monday to Thursday, 8:00am – 6:00pm; Friday, 8:00am – 12:00pm (working hours can fluctuate depending on project demands and weather conditions)
• 42 hours per week
• Paid weekend overtime (Saturday morning) as and when required
• Regular training and CPD opportunities

Balfour Beatty is all about solving problems and finding solutions that make the world work better. Joining us as an apprentice, you’ll help shape these answers right from your first day. You’ll learn. You’ll gain skills. You’ll explore our business and our sectors – having real control over where you go and what you experience next. And you’ll do it all as part of a busy community of apprentices, interns, trainees, and graduates.

What will I be doing as a Construction Materials Technician Apprentice?

What you’ll be doing:

• Working alongside other team members, testing the properties of construction materials including concrete, aggregates, cement, grout, and admixtures.
• Improving the performance of existing products, and trialling them to provide the most optimum performance.
• Assisting to bring materials testing into the 21st century using new technologies (e.g., Switching over to automated processes, more ergonomic equipment or even new recording and reporting systems or methods).
• Developing an understanding, knowledge and practical methods used to examine materials, including non-destructive testing (NDT).
• Following testing methods to ensure safety and quality to support the laboratory in maintaining its UKAS accreditation (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) to BS EN ISO 17025 whilst operating at the highest standards required by such a prestigious project.
• Travelling to and from sites, collecting materials to be tested.

Through training and development provided, you’ll work towards excellence in the following areas:

• Undertake 21-month apprenticeship to Level 3.
• Ensure all work is undertaken safely in accordance with required processes.
• Undertake testing of materials including aggregates, concrete, and asphalt in accordance with required standards, in the laboratory and on construction sites.
• Comply with the high standards of work required by the Quality Management Systems to required deadlines.
• Maintain equipment to required standards as required by the Laboratory Manager.
• Proactively communicate with senior staff to ensure effective communication.
• Attend training courses and assessments as required by the apprenticeship standard and maintaining training records.

We’ll support you every step of the way; your line manager, your allocated mentor, our development team, and ex-apprentices will all be there to help. And you’ll join a network of apprentices, who’ll share the whole experience with you.

No two days are ever the same with Balfour Beatty. You’ll not only spend time between testing on site and testing within the laboratory, but you’ll get the opportunity to visit and work at other locations, providing a great opportunity to meet others and assist in continual professional development and skill sharing.

What could the future look like?

Balfour Beatty is committed to developing emerging talent. Individuals can use the apprenticeship plans to jumpstart a successful career in a skilled industry through on-the-job training and online study. Our goal is to transform you into a fully competent technician, ideally open to accepting a full-time, permanent position within the team, with opportunities for progression in the future to:

• Level 4/5 Technician Scientist apprenticeship
• Senior technician
• Laboratory Manager
• Materials Engineer
• Project lead

Our goal is to train you in many aspects of material testing and quality control. Whether you’re interested in a technical or construction career, you’ll have the chance to shape your future at Balfour Beatty. Hard work and achievement will be rewarded.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

About You

We’re looking for a creative and committed individual who is proactive in identifying problems and defects. You must be comfortable collaborating with others to ensure business demands are met, whilst taking on responsibility for the quality and accuracy of your own work and managing your time effectively.

You’ll be flexible in your ability to work across the various locations required to meet the needs of the business, as well being comfortable working on your feet. Be prepared for a challenge as you take on activities to ensure the targets are met, whilst standards are upheld to ensure the safety of your team and working environment.

To succeed in this apprenticeship, you’ll need bags of enthusiasm, be a fantastic collaborator and be hungry to learn!

Please note, due to the nature of the role, you need to be 18+, have a Full UK Driving License, access to your own car, and be happy commuting and travelling as required for the role.

Experience

Whilst previous experience is great, we’re not just interested in experience and qualifications; we’re looking for someone with the right attitude and aptitude to fit right in at Balfour Beatty.

Qualifications

It’s about enthusiasm, not school results. In our experience the most successful apprentices are those who are driven to find out more about the sector, can be up front about what they do and don’t already know, are considerate, self-reflective, and impatient to learn the job role!

So how does the apprenticeship work?

At Tiro we’re obsessed with changing lives through science and technology apprenticeships so we can’t wait to have you on board. Over 21 months, you’ll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on ‘off the job’ training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments). Together this will count towards a Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship. You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Balfour Beatty who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you’ll need to succeed in your career.

Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment. The best part? You’ll be earning a salary while you gain your qualifications, meaning no huge student loans to pay back at the end of the programme!

Eligibility

While we never want to hinder your job application process with obstacles, there are some minimum requirements you’ll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship, these are rules set by the UK Government. As a training provider, we are committed to ensuring that our apprenticeship programs deliver significant new knowledge and skills. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that the program will provide learning and experiences beyond their current qualifications and professional expertise.

If you already hold a Level 3, degree or equivalent higher-level qualification in a closely related field, or possess substantial relevant experience, you may not be eligible for apprenticeship funding, as these programmes are designed for individuals who require upskilling or reskilling in their chosen career pathway.

You’ll need to be over 18, not in full-time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK.

If you don’t quite meet these minimum requirements yet, let us know you’re interested here and we’ll get in touch to discuss this further with you.

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