Apprentice Civil Engineer Review
at Balfour Beatty
Degree Apprenticeship
Civil Engineering
Doncaster
Review Submitted: February 2025
Overall Rating
4.9 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
4.8/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
My role day to day is different to what course I'm studying. As i had an engineering background i was asked to join the Tech team on the railway rather than the civils team to help and learn to become a fully qualified Technician. Day to day i help with the paperwork and designs that you have to complete for jobs and go to college/uni one day a week. There are opportunities to work midweek on track as well which i always say yes to.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
the programme is very challenging and that's what makes it enjoyable. You're wanting to learn and become competent in your new role and the more you start understanding and piecing together the better you adapt to your role and can then start to focus on being an asset to your team.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Due to the fact I'm learning at college to gain my level 4/5/6 in civil engineering throughout the 5 years I will be constantly learning and developing new skills. As i mentioned as well my day to day is also learning to be a tech on the railway so this is challenging learning all the paperwork side as well as the ins and outs of S&C track renewals and how we work as a team.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
My personal experience didn't get off to the best of starts as my uni cancelled the programme as not enough people was on that course at the time. However Balfour and the staff quickly got onto fixing me a solution and within a few weeks i was signed up and ready to go with the same course just a different location. (closer to home so actually benefitted me more).
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
You receive plenty of support and help from your peers and manager throughout your time here. As well as the early careers team and just generally anyone working for the company seems to want to help. As long as you have the drive and right attitude you'll have all the help you need.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
I've not long started myself on the course as I'm only a few weeks into it. So far the tutors have been great as it can be a lot to take in at the beginning. They offer you extra help and support if you need and also you can email/message them if you need advice or help in your studies.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
At first I was sceptical as my day to day role isn't a civil engineer. However on the course I'm doing currently its a mix of maths, surveying and construction and design. All of these have a helping hand within the role I perform and will benefit me in the long run.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
There are plenty of professional networking events and meetings you can attend to help you on your new career path. It also helps you get yourself out there within the business and meet all different kinds of people and backgrounds. Social activities and sports teams are always available throughout your time here as well as charity events.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Balfour Beatty to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Great career path to take and It's all laid out for you, you just need to put in the hard work and prove you want to learn and you will see all the benefits along the way. There are also plenty of company benefits available to you if you work for a company like Balfour Beatty as well as a generous pension scheme.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Balfour Beatty?
Apply and you won't regret the career change or new career that you could potentially have. Balfour are a big company and getting your foot in the door at a company like this is career changing.
