For 19-year-old trainee site manager Jacob Ellis, doing an apprenticeship at Wolverhampton-based company Interclass Plc has put him in the unique position of working on a £1.93million construction project at City of Wolverhampton College, where he’s studying for his professional qualifications!
Jacob, who is working towards a Level 4 construction site supervisor apprenticeship standard, combines working for Interclass – which has been awarded the contract to build two new mezzanine training areas in the construction block at the college’s Wellington Road campus – with studying for a Level 4 HNC in construction and the built environment on a day-release basis.
Jacob said: “On my apprenticeship I spend four days a week working for Interclass and attend college one day a week to study for my HNC.
“I’m learning how to supervise a construction site, as well as the legal and statutory requirements covering building control and planning approval and how to make sure that all works are completed to the required industry standard.
“Everything I learn at college I can relate to my day-to-day work and having the chance to work on the extension project is a great opportunity – when the work is completed I’ll still be attending college to complete my qualification and I’ll feel very proud when I look at the new building and be able to say that I played a part in supervising its construction and was involved in the build from start to finish.
“If you want a career in construction, an apprenticeship is a great way to learn. There’s a stigma attached that the industry is only for people who drop out of school, but this isn’t true. The career opportunities are limitless and the prospects are great – whether you want a dedicated trade or to move into management, there’s so much you can learn and you’ll develop a set of skills that will set you up for a career for life.”
