Investing in young talent and the future of your workforce
It’s often said that within a business, your employees are your most valuable asset, and working in the professional services sector that’s a statement that I couldn’t agree more with.
As the Deputy Managing Director at Imagile Professional Services Limited (IPSL), a huge part of my role is to ensure that as a company, we are doing all we can to support the development and progression of the people within our teams. With National Apprenticeship Week upon us, it’s a great time to reflect on the importance of nurturing young talent.
As well as providing and encouraging a range of training programmes for current employees, IPSL has heavily involved itself in a bespoke and company-wide apprenticeship scheme, bringing on board three apprentices over the past two years. It’s been a fantastic tool to help drive our business forward and is a great alternative route to start a journey into the construction professions. It’s also incredibly rewarding to be involved in shaping the early stages of young people’s careers.
We have a total of 16 apprentices working across the company and each one brings a unique set of skills. A shining example of that in practice is one of our first apprentices, Steph Coray, who joined our Business Administration team in 2017 and since completing her Apprenticeship has become an invaluable member of staff and recently took on a new role as Projects Administrator in the IPSL Construction Delivery team.
There’s no better way to appreciate the value of an apprenticeship than to get a first-hand perspective from someone who’s currently working towards one, so I sat down with Jessica Talik – a 21-year-old Assistant Lifecycle Manager at IPSL and someone who I have personally seen develop and grow as a result of the scheme. Here’s what she had to say:
Can you tell us a bit about yourself Jess?
Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?
After completing my A-levels I actually decided to do a degree in Quantity Surveying at Liverpool John Moores University, where after two years of being a full-time student I was given the opportunity of a work placement within the construction sector. Whilst I was grateful for the work placement opportunity, I didn’t feel I was getting the most out of the experience. I had previously heard about IPSL and the work they did through friends at university, and so when I heard there was an opportunity to work with them, I decided to apply for it.
After completing my placement, I was offered an apprenticeship position at IPSL, which allowed me to switch my degree course to part-time study as well as beginning my MRICS accreditation through the apprenticeship. I felt that the opportunity was too good not to take. I could really see myself working at IPSL and felt there was a huge opportunity to progress and develop within the company. I was learning so much more on the job than I ever had in university and the amount of support I was offered was fantastic.
Tell us about your role as an apprentice at IPSL?
I work within the Lifecycle Planning team as an Assistant Lifecycle Manager. To put it simply, this involves producing capital maintenance cost forecasts for PPP projects using detailed survey data and advanced modelling techniques. It really draws on my whole-life costing skills.
I am directly responsible for seven projects and these range from prisons to healthcare and schools. I have the support and supervision of my line manager a Senior Lifecycle Manager and the wider multi-discipline team – there’s plenty of experience to draw on.
My role can be really diverse, and it involves a lot of data. I’m also regularly liaising with the projects’ general managers and often visit project sites in order to build up great relationships and a good appreciation of the built assets.
How has your role progressed since starting your apprenticeship?
I have been with the company for just under a year and in that time my role has changed quite a lot. I’ve been offered a huge amount of support and training which has allowed me to learn and grow within the position. I have a close working relationship with my managers who are incredibly supportive, who provide me with fresh opportunities and challenges, taking on greater ownership of projects, which has really helped me progress.
What do you like most about the career path you’ve chosen?
I enjoy the day-to-day work I do, and I find it very interesting but what I find most rewarding is being a part of such an incredible team. I am lucky to have a really close-knit group of colleagues that I can learn so much from, I think trusting and respecting your team is really important in any job. Another aspect of my job that I enjoy is being able to build relationships with our clients and help to meet their needs.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of doing an apprenticeship?
You just have to go for it, if an opportunity feels right then don’t pass it up. In my experience working on the job is the most valuable way to learn and doing an apprenticeship gives you that opportunity. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, your colleagues will understand that you’re there to learn and it’s important to make the most of the opportunity you’ve been given. Just make sure you do some research and find a job that is right for you with a company with great culture and the career path you want to take.
How do you hope your career will progress in the future?
My apprenticeship will be complete by the end of 2020 and I have an incredible opportunity to gain so many more skills in that time. Straight after that I’ll be beginning my APC journey and looking to get chartered with the RICS. The apprenticeship route gives me a chance to build my diary and competencies whilst I’m learning.
My development at IPSL has been great so far and I can really see a clear path for progression set out for me. There are so many opportunities to develop within the business and I’m excited to be able to grow with the company.
