A day in the life of an LK2 apprentice
Apprentices are an integral part of day-to-day life here at LK2. With 15% of our workforce now being recruited as workplace apprentices. Traditionally we have recruited them to support our architecture department in technically related roles. However, this year we have created opportunities in our sport & leisure team, recruiting our first sports data analyst.
One of the many things we pride ourselves on is our commitment to supporting local young people, we firmly believe that home grown talent is key to our success and employee retention.
Apprentices are traditionally recruited straight from school or college, so an integral part of our mentoring is to guide them into becoming ‘work ready’. We very much see our role as helping shape their careers and develop their skills and experiences, introducing them to new ideas and allowing them to think independently, be creative and innovative.
It’s important we also recognise what we can learn from ‘millennials’, let’s face it they are the next generation of industry leaders. At LK2 we ensure our apprentices’ voices are heard and that they have an opportunity to lead and contribute.
We work closely with local universities and colleges to support our team. Many of the young people we have recruited over the years have gone on to become trusted and valued colleagues. We had a chat with one of our architectural apprentices Zack Barnes to find out more about being an LK2 apprentice.
Zack said: “LK2 is a great place to be. Working on a wide range of projects, it is a company filled with opportunity and has a strong drive to be the best. As well as having an excellent work ethic, my colleagues here care about one another, and are always willing to offer a helping hand when someone is feeling overwhelmed. Overall, LK2 is an exceptional company to work for, with great morals and a drive to succeed to match.”
At LK2 our day starts at 8am and finishes at 5pm, we have adopted a more flexible approach to working which allows for us to finish our week at lunchtime on a Friday, it’s an important part of the ‘work life balance’ we wish to create. Our apprentices check in with their team leader / mentors daily to help them prioritise their work, and gain guidance and support.
We believe a healthy workforce is important, and we are conscious of mental and physical wellbeing in the workplace. With this in mind, we encourage lunchtime walk and talks alongside social chat, this helps develop our junior teams’ conversational skills, confidence in public speaking, and passion for something to grow. We can then translate that into pitching to clients, public speaking and presentation skills.
Luke is now in the third year of his apprenticeship, having achieved a ‘distinction’ in his college course at the end of year two, let’s hear what he thinks about his role and the opportunity LK2 has afforded him. Luke said: “When I first started my apprenticeship in 2017, I had very little knowledge of architecture or construction in general. Since then, working at LK2 has given me a great opportunity to gain experience in a supportive environment. This has allowed me to pick up a whole new set of skills and develop my knowledge of the construction industry as a whole.
“My role within the company often means that I get to work on a variety of projects at various stages, this has included sectors such as leisure, retail and residential. The wide range of work taking place at LK2, combined with the positive attitude the company has towards apprentices, drives us to achieve the best we can.”
And finally, we had a quick chat with Charlie, our newest recruit who has been with the company for just 10 weeks. We wanted to understand how Charlie feels about his new role as our data analyst and being in the workplace.
Charlie said: “Since starting in September my time at LK2 has been very positive, I have already been a part of a range of different projects within the company, working with both sports consultants and architects. There is a strong sense that everyone at LK2 is a part of the same team and it’s clear LK2 values teamwork and communication, as an apprentice I often work closely with my colleagues so that I am able to learn from different team members. Everyone at LK2 genuinely wants you to succeed and grow in your professional career and actively looks to give apprentices a valuable experience.”
If you would like more information on career opportunities at LK2, please click here