Leon, Senior Engineer, Highway Improvements

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, I’m Leon and I started at WSCC in 2021 as a Civil Engineering apprentice and have enjoyed the experience and knowledge I’ve gained from day one.

Prior to starting at WSCC I worked on building sites and always had an interest in engineering but didn’t know how to make the career change without the academic qualifications or professional membership required to be a Civil Engineer.

In my late 20’s I wasn’t in a position to go back into full time education, so I was looking for other opportunities to learn and develop a career in Civil Engineering. I found the Civil Engineering apprenticeships offered by WSCC which looked to offer exactly what I was looking for. I applied and haven’t looked back since.

In my 4 years of working at WSCC I have achieved a distinction in my Civil Engineering HNC, attained EngTech status with the Institution of Civil Engineers and have just enrolled in a Civil Engineering degree with the view to achieving my incorporated engineer status in 4 years.

I’ve also found the time to complete the 3 peaks challenge and run a marathon in the last year outside of study and work.

The apprenticeship has offered me the perfect level of training, development, support and a great work life balance.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?

I’ve always had a keen interest in solving problems and a desire to understand how things work. This started as a kid taking things apart around the house and trying to figure out how to put them back together, often unsuccessfully to the dismay of my parents. This grew into an interest in engineering and structures.

Living in Hammersmith, I would often look at Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s Hammersmith Bridge wanting to know why it was designed in the way it was or how a structure built in the 1800’s still plays a vital part in today’s transport network of London, its importance illustrated by the recent impact cause by the closure. This was the turning point for me to realise my passion for Civil and Highways Engineering.

Why did you choose to do your apprenticeship with West Sussex?

The apprenticeship offered me the opportunity to learn alongside building a career which was very important to me.

During my employment, I have grown from an Engineering Apprentice to a Senior Engineer within the Highway Improvement team and completed my HNC in Civil Engineering. WSCC have given me the support to balance both my study and career.

What is the best thing about being a Civil Engineering apprentice?

The varied experience gained on the job. During my apprenticeship I’ve had the opportunity to work within a plethora of teams, gaining valuable experience from each, such as; highway maintenance and inspection, traffic engineering, highway legal orders, cyclical maintenance, planned delivery, community highway projects, road safety engineering, procurement and project management.

What do you particularly enjoy about working in the HTP team?

The variation within the role, no two projects are the same, therefore no two days are the same. One day I may be on site undertaking a site meeting with contractors setting out a scheme about to be constructed, and the next I could be drawing a preliminary design for early stakeholder consultation. Everyday presents a new challenge and an opportunity to bring positive change for the community.

How are you supported by West Sussex and your manager and team during your apprenticeship?

My manager has been very supportive, holding frequent catch-up meetings to discuss my workload and what my pipeline looks like. If I have any problems or am feeling that I may not be able to deliver work to the best of my ability, they are quick to find additional resource within the team to assist. They are very understanding of the pressures of studying a degree alongside work and make sure I have enough time to complete my training hours.

Is there a particular case or something about your work here that makes you feel proud?

One of my first roles at WSCC was highway maintenance. It was my job to respond to customer enquiries reporting faults on the highway. I would undertake a detailed assessment and develop an engineering solution to correct the problem.

One of the first enquiries was a report of an uneven paving slab that had resulted in a fall. I raised a job for the slab to be removed and reinstated, removing the trip hazard from the public highway. A few days later I received notification that the works had been completed with a photo of the new level slab. I will never forget the feeling I got that day knowing my actions had directly resulted in a positive change for the community.

My role now has me designing and delivering much higher value highway improvement schemes, but that fundamental feeling of knowing my role brings positive change will never wear thin. I have pride in every project I work as they all focus on improving infrastructure for the community.

What would you say are the challenges of being a Civil Engineering apprentice or Business Admin apprentice?

As supportive as the team around you are, it still comes down to you completing the work and making those assignment deadlines. There are busy times when work and academic deadlines coincide, and it takes perseverance to get through. There is a level of commitment expected to study, but if you manage your time well this doesn’t need to have a big impact on your time outside of work.

If there is one myth you could bust about being a Civil Engineering apprentice, what would it be?

That an apprenticeship is only for people just out of school - I had an image of being the only apprentice over 20 when I started at WSCC, and I’m now over 30 and going back to university! But this is far from the truth, apprenticeships are for everyone. In my degree class there is a range of ages from 18 to 50+.

What would you say to somebody considering joining us?

If you’ve got the drive and ambition to achieve and want to be part of a supporting team, then an apprenticeship at WSCC is the right path for you.