My career on the railway began with Amey in 2011 when I joined the business as an Apprentice Structures Examiner, working on the Civil Examination Framework Agreement (CEFA). The Training Programme was set out over five years with clear milestones to achieve. Regular reviews were held with my Line Manager, Mentor and Supervising Engineer to monitor progress and provide support and feedback when necessary.
As part of the Apprenticeship, I had the opportunity to enrol in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award. The course involved various activities, workshops in camp craft, cooking, navigation, teamwork skills and residential stays, in readiness for the final expedition. The penultimate hike was planned for five days around the Peak District completely self-sufficient camping at various sites each night in an extremely small two-man tent!
The support and guidance given by Mentors enabled me to progress quicker than anticipated through the Apprenticeship Programme. After a little over three years, I was fully qualified but more significantly, ready and confident in my ability to do the job with little support. Having already undertaken the role under supervision the transition from an Apprentice to a fully qualified member of the team is very much seamless.
In early 2017 the opportunity to move into a managerial position became available within the CEFA contract, which I applied for and was subsequently successful. I am currently the Resource Manager for the East Midlands area within the Eastern region, ironically managing some of the people who contributed their time and knowledge when I was starting life on the railway.
Since stepping into the world of management Amey has ensured I am equipped with the knowledge to be a successful leader. Having already completed the Amey People Manager Programme and various other courses, I have been given the opportunity to undertake the Level 4 Diploma in Project Management. Hopefully, once I have completed the APM and gained further experience, opportunities will arise within the business to put these new skills into practice.
You can find out more about apprenticeship at Amey, here: https://www.amey.co.uk/your-career/early-careers/apprentices/