Matthew Underhill - Jacobs

My name is Matthew Underhill, I am an apprentice who has been working with Jacobs for 5-6 months now. I am a Project Controls Apprentice and my daily tasks involve costing on people, planning, and reporting.

Completing an apprenticeship is great, being able to get similar qualifications to someone who went to university helps your employability. It is great to learn on the job whilst being able to earn money whilst doing so.

What I enjoy about my apprenticeship is being able to have college by my side. LSP (Learning Skills Partnership) can help me with anything and provide good guidance and information, on any subject. My favourite part of LSP is the monthly “theme of the months”. It is good to see information, which is helpful to a young workers life, as well as being able to share this information with others. This helps me be more in tuned with the world and what things are currently happening in the world.

LSP uses a “dashboard” which is a website where information is easily accessible. This “dashboard” is where you can complete themes of the month, enrolment, and other mandatory courses.

The training is completed by a third-party company called 20/20. This is where you will join calls to develop your knowledge. These calls happen every month or so, so there is a good work balance between the two.

You can complete your tasks on your “study leave” day. For me this usually happens on a Friday, so I can catch up on things for college. During this time I can complete themes of the months, on the job tracker, group, or individual assignments. This does help get on top of things and be prepared for presentations coming up. You are allowed one “study day” a week no matter what company you work for as an apprentice.

I would always recommend being an apprentice compared to go to university. You can get real life experience and be able to learn on the job whilst getting paid. Apprenticeships had a bag stigma 10 or so years ago, but I would not know what I would have done if it wasn’t for having the idea of being apprentice since I started college. It has made me grow up and think of the future ideas and progressing in my personal and professional life, for example my Girlfriend Megan and I are always looking at houses and when it is a viable time to purchase one. (Not Yet Sadly!)

I think employers should always offer apprenticeships to young people. It is extremely difficult to know where to go and what to do at the age of 16-20, and having a foot in the door with an apprenticeship will always help you know what direction you want to take in your further career of life.