Benjamin Dick
Apprenticeship case study
City of Bristol College apprentice named finalist in local awards
A City of Bristol College apprentice has been praised for his ‘attitude, work ethic and enthusiasm’ after being named a finalist in the BristolLive and BathLive Apprentice Awards for his work with Midas Construction.
Ben Dick, aged 20, is working towards his Level 4 HNC Construction and the Built Environment through a Construction apprenticeship with the College and is placed with Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, through Shared Apprenticeships – Shared Apprenticeships employs apprentices for the construction industry across the South West region, providing a flexible approach to apprenticeships that meets the needs of the industry while giving apprentices the opportunity to gain a breadth of skills and experience with the support of a dedicated mentor.
The aspiring site manager was shortlisted for the Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Construction) in the awards and was a finalist at the ceremony on 2nd December.
The virtual red carpet was rolled out in honour of Bristol and Bath’s most-promising young people and the awards were streamed live and was hosted by broadcaster Ali Vowles.
Ben, from Bradley Stoke in Bristol, said: “It was totally unexpected to be nominated but a very surreal feeling. I am looking forward to the experience and opportunities it may bring.”
Ben chose to study with the college after hearing ‘a number of good things’ and said an apprenticeship most definitely suits his style of learning. He is currently placed with Midas Construction – who are the same contractors working on the College’s Advanced Construction Skills Centre next to their South Bristol campus in Hengrove.
Ben added: “I am much more of a hands-on and practical learner and once finding out that I could obtain onsite experience while gaining qualifications and being paid, I couldn’t say no! I have found the whole apprenticeship experience very enjoyable and I have learned an extraordinary amount about the construction industry since starting as an apprentice.”
The apprentice has just completed a Level 3 Construction apprenticeship and is now working towards his Level 4 with ambitions to progress onto a Level 6 Construction Management (Degree) Apprenticeship
Pete Coulson, Senior Project Manager at Midas Construction, said: “This is a great achievement and truly well deserved. Ben’s attitude, work ethic and enthusiasm is admirable. He’s become a valued and well-liked member of the Midas project team. Starting full-time work can be a difficult transition for a young person, but Ben has adapted really well to the discipline, routine and workload with maturity beyond his years. He is a pleasure to have as part of my team.”
Ben is one of 33 apprentices currently working across Midas. The Group has a strong commitment to apprenticeships and bringing forward the next generation of construction professionals.
Ben added: “I am really enjoying the set-up of the course. As I am a part-time student, there is often long and hard days but the College makes it all achievable. Our workload has been carefully planned through the help of our lecturers in order to ensure we are keeping up with deadlines, learning and producing high standards of work.
“I would encourage anyone thinking of studying a construction-related qualification with City of Bristol College to do so, and at the same time to consider the apprenticeship route into the industry. I am glad it’s the route I decided to take.”
Julia Coulton, Business Manager at Shared Apprenticeships, said: “This recognition of Ben as an outstanding apprentice is another fantastic example of what can be achieved through an apprenticeship. Ben’s hard work and dedication make him an especially deserving finalist and all of the team at Shared Apprenticeships are very proud of him and are delighted to have him on board.”
To find out more about our apprenticeship programme then visit the Apprenticeship page of our website. Alternatively, if you are an employer who would like to work with us to offer our students a placement, then visit our Employer page.
