Two young apprentices are sharing their experiences of working for a global professional services consultancy to coincide with Scottish Apprenticeship Week (6-10 March).

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff which has taken on over 135 apprentices across the UK in the past five years, is hoping to bring in 84 new apprentices in 2017.

With over 430 staff and two offices in Scotland, the global consultancy will be looking to recruit apprentices across its development and highways sectors, hoping that interest will come from this year’s school leavers.

Jason Wheeler, 19, from Renfrewshire is currently halfway through a two year apprenticeship with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.

A structural engineering apprentice in the company’s Glasgow office, Jason works with other engineers and technicians to produce drawings and 3D models for structural projects.

He also attends Forth Valley College one day a week, where he is studying for an HNC in civil engineering, which runs alongside the SVQ Qualification.

Jason said: “I have known for a while that I wanted to be a structural engineer so when the apprenticeship came up I jumped at the chance to get a place on the scheme.

“The support you receive as an apprentice at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is second to none. It was quite daunting when I first started but everyone I work with has made me feel right at home and has always been on hand to help when I’ve needed it.

“What I enjoy most about my apprenticeship is that I get to work on some really high profile and diverse projects and I also love being able to say to my family and friends that I’m part of a team which has created some of the most amazing buildings like the University of Glasgow Learning and Teaching Hub and Dumfries and Galloway Infirmary.

“Once my apprenticeship finishes in June I hope that I will be able to take what I’ve learnt and go to university and study for a degree in civil engineering. From there I would love to be able to live out my dream of becoming a structural engineer, working with a global firm like WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.”

Civil engineer apprentice Josh Robertson, 17 from Livingston, left Inveralmond Community High School at the end of fifth year to take up an apprenticeship with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Josh currently works four days a week at the global professional services consultancy’s Edinburgh office, taking responsibility for a variety of tasks including meeting clients and contractors, using software to create drawings and organising which staff will work on different projects.

As part of his apprenticeship Josh also goes to West Lothian College one day a week where he is studying for his HNC in civil engineering.

Josh said: “When I left school and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff offered me the chance to do an apprenticeship with them I was so excited. I’ve been doing my apprenticeship for seven months now, and have so far loved every minute of it.

“The best part is that I get to work on new and exciting projects all the time, most recently on a new state of the art leisure facility in Edinburgh and also Whitehill industrial estate in Livingston, where I get to take responsibility for different tasks, this gives me a lot of satisfaction as I get to see how my work contributes to the overall success of the business.

“WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is a massive organisation so there are always lots of experienced people with helpful advice to give me when I get stuck, and my colleagues are always ready and willing to help me out.

“When my apprenticeship finishes, I’m lucky enough to have two options. I can either go to university and study for a degree in civil engineering, or carry on as a WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff employee and become a fully qualified civil engineer.”