Mitchell McGregor, 18, is a Level 3 Highways Asset Engineer Apprentice at Wiltshire Council, the apprenticeship will take two years to complete.
What did your journey look like to this point?
I left School at 16, I got on ok, but I didn’t like being in education I wanted to get some experience in the real world. I found an apprenticeship at SSE it was a manual role, but once I qualified, I realised there wasn’t much progression afterwards, I couldn’t get off tools and into the office. So, I looked for other options and a friend recommend Wiltshire Council.
What does your day to day look like?
It can be very varied, currently I am working on smaller projects for example road signs and road markings this involves designing and planning. Checking with utility companies before digging, creating work packs for our contractors to carry out the work, each project I take on will involve more responsibility.
What are your future plans? And your advice to young people?
I hope to be retained in the future at the Council, there has been a mention of being able to do the higher-level apprenticeship, which is degree level.
I would say to go for it, an apprenticeship is a good way to kickstart a career, but do your research into what you like and what does the job entail? It is more work than going to college or doing A-Levels but you can get more out of it and you are getting paid! At the Council there is great flexible working, and I can work from home going into the office one or two times a week.