In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week, we decided to interview one of our newest apprentices who joined us through the recruitment and training pilot programme with Construction Skills Consortium (CSC), which was supported by the Cross Industry Construction Apprenticeship Taskforce (CCATF) and pioneered by Breyer.
Katie Emmins first came to Breyer as a work placement, spending time with our Admin and Bid Teams, but it wasn’t long before her potential was spotted by another department at Breyer. Katie is now happily undertaking an IT Apprenticeship, thanks to Breyer’s flexible approach to employment, which focuses more on an individual’s potential and fit for the business, rather than their direct qualifications.
We asked Katie about how she came to work with Breyer and what her experiences have been to date. Here’s what she shared:
How did you get involved with the CSC recruitment programme?
I was originally referred to the CSC programme through my work coach at the Romford Job Centre. I was put into contact with Involved Social Impact Projects who introduced me and many others to Breyer’s HR Department. From here, we were taught about Breyer and what the programme had to offer before we could sign up. The HR team did such a good job of depicting Breyer for what I know it as today. I made sure by 12pm the same day that I was signed up. Thanks to the Job Centre I was able to meet these people and be a part of such a well-run programme.
Why did you decide to go for a role with Breyer?
The sole reason I decided to go for the role with Breyer was because of the values the company employs. Before starting my work experience here, I was tasked with researching and knowing the company’s values. I found that Breyer prided itself in being professional, personable and conscientious. After my work placement, I truly felt the values were present throughout the entire office. I understood during my short time that Breyer is a company which strives to make its employees better themselves while also working hard to make the community a better place. I myself, wanted to be part of a company with such value.
Please can you tell me about your work placement with the Bid Team?
Although my work placement with the Bid Team was not the entire week, I must note that I feel as though I learnt a lifetime of knowledge. The lovely Bid Team taught me what I needed to know about the job itself but also taught me valuable skills for the work environment. They made my first experience in a professional setting very comfortable and were all round lovely to spend time with. They gave positive feedback about my work and about me as a worker, which I was able to take with me into my apprenticeship, for which I am very grateful.
How did you end up becoming an IT apprentice with Breyer?
I became an IT apprentice with Breyer through coincidence really. During the first day of my work placement, I met with the IT team and found, like everybody else at Breyer, they were lovely people. Through conversation, I was told there was an opportunity to put myself forward for an IT apprenticeship. After many conversations with both the Head of IT and the Business Systems Technician, I was really excited about the possible role. Before my work placement with the Admin Team, I had to list another field of work that I would like to put myself forward for and I put down IT, because it is a big passion of mine. I am grateful that I now have the opportunity to experience IT as a result.
Please can you tell me about your apprenticeship with IT?
Having only worked here for a short time, I still have the entire world to explore within the IT Department at Breyer. However, so far, I have already developed a lot of knowledge. Every day is different for me. The team is ensuring I have a variety of different tasks to keep my learning and development consistent. It is very enjoyable spending my time with the team and learning from their experience and knowledge to ensure I develop as best as I can. However, the opportunity I have been given here at Breyer does not stop there, as I am also being given experience within Administration. This way, when software issues arise, I can have a better idea as to what went wrong. Not only will this make me a better IT apprentice, but it will also expand my skillset as a whole. I was told this was a priority, which made me feel very valued at Breyer and urged me to join the company as an apprentice as soon as possible.
Having studied Marketing at University, I always believed I’d find a career in that. However, now that I’ve been given an opportunity to work in IT, which I greatly enjoy, I can see myself having a career within IT for many years to come.
The CSC ‘Building Blocks into construction’ (BBiC) recruitment and training programme has been designed to attract new talent to the property and wider construction industry. Candidates like Katie who are looking for roles in IT and Marketing or Finance and HR would not typically look to such a sector for a job, as it often brings to mind trades and contract-related positions. The CSC’s mission is to plug this gap by bringing together unemployed, hidden talent like Katie and property-based or construction focused organisations, giving candidates the opportunity to find the job of their dreams in a thriving industry that needs their skills, with the extra support of mentoring and training along the way. Through the CSC’s BBiC programme Breyer and its fellow consortium members aim to permanently change the sector’s skills landscape and create opportunity for all.
For more information about work placements and apprenticeships with Breyer, please contact [email protected].
For more information about the CSC, please contact [email protected]