Description
Location:Sizewell C Power Station, Leiston, Suffolk IP16 4UR
Working for Balfour Beatty
EDF is leading the UK's nuclear renaissance with the construction of a new nuclear power station at Sizewell C in Suffolk. We’re not just building new nuclear power stations. We’re developing careers, upskilling generations and creating thousands of employment and apprenticeship opportunities across a variety of skills areas.
It takes a special kind of person to work in the nuclear energy industry and although we have thousands of them there’s always a need for more.
Please note, for this role, apprentices will be required to travel and stay in Birmingham for the first 3 months of their apprenticeship, to support on the preparation and testing of construction materials for the project.
All travel and accommodation costs will be covered for the duration of your stay, and you will be able to travel home each weekend.
The package
At Tiro, we make great things happen for people. And that starts with you. In this role you’ll receive:
- Starting salary of £22,859 - £25,000 per year (depending on age)
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Monday to Friday (shift work may be a requirement later in the apprenticeship)
- Regular training and CPD opportunities
Balfour Beatty is all about solving problems and finding solutions that make the world work better. Joining us as an apprentice, you’ll help shape these answers right from your first day. You’ll learn. You’ll gain skills. You’ll explore our business and our sectors – having real control over where you go and what you experience next. And you’ll do it all as part of a busy community of apprentices, interns, trainees, and graduates.
What will I be doing as an apprentice?
As a Construction Materials Technician Apprentice you’ll be working with Balfour Beatty to deliver one of the most complex marine engineering projects currently taking place in the world to support the construction of the new nuclear power station.
Your help is required to ensure that the materials being used are compliant by subjecting them to a rigorous testing regime in the high-quality, purpose-built site laboratory.
What you’ll be doing:
- Working alongside other team members, testing the properties of construction materials including concrete, aggregates, cement, grout, and admixtures.
- Improving the performance of existing products, and trialling them to provide the most optimum performance.
- Assisting to bring materials testing into the 21st century using new technologies (e.g., Switching over to automated processes, more ergonomic equipment or even new recording and reporting systems or methods).
- Developing an understanding, knowledge and practical methods used to examine materials, including non-destructive testing (NDT).
- Following testing methods to ensure safety and quality to support the laboratory in maintaining its UKAS accreditation (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) to BS EN ISO 17025 whilst operating at the highest standards required by such a prestigious project.
- Travelling to and from sites, collecting materials to be tested.
Through training and development provided, you’ll work towards excellence in the following areas:
- Undertake 21-month apprenticeship to Level 3.
- Ensure all work is undertaken safely in accordance with required processes.
- Undertake testing of materials including aggregates, concrete, and asphalt in accordance with required standards, in the laboratory and on construction sites.
- Comply with the high standards of work required by the Quality Management Systems to required deadlines.
- Maintain equipment to required standards as required by the Laboratory Manager.
- Proactively communicate with senior staff to ensure effective communication.
- Attend training courses and assessments as required by the apprenticeship standard and maintaining training records.
We’ll support you every step of the way; your line manager, your allocated mentor, our development team, and ex-apprentices will all be there to help. And you’ll join a network of apprentices, who’ll share the whole experience with you.
No two days are ever the same with Balfour Beatty. You’ll not only spend time between testing on site and testing with in the laboratory, but you’ll get the opportunity to visit and work at other locations, providing a great opportunity to meet others and assist in continual professional development and skill sharing.
What could the future look like?
Balfour Beatty is committed to developing emerging talent. Individuals can use the apprenticeship plans to jumpstart a successful career in a skilled industry through on-the-job training and online study. Our goal is to transform you into a fully competent technician, ideally open to accepting a full-time, permanent position within the team, with opportunities for progression in the future to:
- Level 4/5 Technician Scientist apprenticeship
- Senior technician
- Laboratory Manager
- Materials Engineer
- Project lead
Our goal is to train you in many aspects of material testing and quality control. Whether you’re interested in a technical or construction career, you’ll have the chance to shape your future at Balfour Beatty. Hard work and achievement will be rewarded. Don’t take it from us, hear it from one of Balfour Beatty’s top female apprentices:
“Working with BBV has given me the opportunity to increase my knowledge within all construction related sectors. Guidance and experience from individuals, such as consultants and principal engineers, has not only helped increase my knowledge, but has also helped me grow professionally and given me the confidence to communicate with people at all levels.”- Kennedy McCarthy.
Skills, Knowledge, and Experience
Experience
Whilst previous experience is great, we at Tiro are always open to wildcards. We’re not just interested in experience and qualifications; we’re looking for someone with the right attitude and aptitude to fit right in at Balfour Beatty.
Qualifications
It’s about enthusiasm, not school results. In our experience the most successful apprentices are those who are driven to find out more about the sector, can be up front about what they do and don’t already know, are considerate, self-reflective, and impatient to learn the job role!
About You
We’re looking for a creative and committed individual who is proactive in identifying problems and defects. You must be comfortable collaborating with others to ensure business demands are met, whilst taking on responsibility for the quality and accuracy of your own work and managing you time effectively.
You’ll be flexible in your ability to work across the various locations required to meet the needs of business, as well being comfortable working on your feet.
Be prepared for a challenge as you take on activities to ensure the targets are met, whilst standards are upheld to ensure the safety of your team and working environment.
To succeed in this apprenticeship, you’ll need bags of enthusiasm, be a fantastic collaborator and be hungry to learn!
Please note, due to the nature of the role, you need to be 18+, have a Full UK Driving License, access to your own car, and be happy commuting and travelling as required for the project.
So how does the apprenticeship work?
At Tiro we’re obsessed with changing lives through science and technology apprenticeships so we can’t wait to have you on board.
Over 21 months, you’ll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on ‘off the job’ training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments. Together this will count towards a Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship. You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Balfour Beatty who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you’ll need to succeed in your career.
Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment.
The best part? You’ll be earning a salary while you gain your qualifications, meaning no huge student loans to pay back at the end of the programme!
Want to know more. Check out the apprenticeship standards
here.
Eligibility
There are some minimum requirements you’ll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship, these are rules set by the UK Government.
You’ll need to be 18+, not in full time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK.
If you don’t quite meet these minimum requirements yet, let us know you’re interested
hereand we’ll get in touch to discuss this further with you.
We're Tiro (pronounced ‘Tea-ro’ as in white, two sugars).
In Latin, it means novice, recruit, apprentice, beginner and soldier. The perfect name for a company that’s been helping fearless apprentices to join ambitious businesses since 2005.
We believe that great apprenticeships help everyone. There are remarkable apprentices out there just waiting to be found, and fantastic employment opportunities waiting to be filled.
Our work will never be just about getting bums on seats and pocketing our commission. In our own small way, we’re helping to change the world – finding people that are working on COVID vaccines, finding new ways for technology to help humanity and helping to tackle the big issues of the day, like climate change. As well as helping people – young and old – to find their way.
