Meghan is building her future with a Higher-Level Apprenticeship

Meghan completed her Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) in Civil Engineering and has now progressed to complete her full bachelor's degree funded by herself while learning and earning on the job. She has found the opportunity is helping her lay the right foundations for future career success.

From a young age, Meghan knew that nursing, teaching and the likes of office-based jobs were not for her and credits her childhood and family values as the inspiration behind her career choice.

"I have always had an interest in farming and the outdoors from a young age, and construction was an industry that was common in my household. I grew up with my three brothers, all involved in different levels and career paths within the industry, which led me to study a BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment alongside my other A-Level subjects".

After completing her A-Levels at St. Patricks College Maghera, Meghan began constructing her career on a HLA with Wills Bros Ltd., working on the £220 million A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe duelling scheme.

Meghan said: "As a Higher Level Apprentice, I studied an Ulster University Foundation Degree in Civil Engineering at the SWC Omagh Campus, whilst simultaneously working full time with Wills Bros earning a salary.

"Choosing this route meant that I had no fees to pay, and I was able to build up my skills and knowledge in the Construction Industry as well as achieving my higher education qualification."

Following successful completion, Meghan progressed to the Open University Top Up Degree in Construction, Engineering & Management at the SWC, Omagh Campus, and continues her employment at Wills Bros Ltd.

Meghan says balancing study and full-time work commitments weren't as challenging as she had initially thought. The ‘Learn by doing’ approach enabled her to relate on-site experience to complex topics she had been studying, which she found simplified the learning process and aided career progression.

Meghan said: “I enjoyed studying at SWC, the tutors have worked in the industry so have a wealth of knowledge to share, and with smaller class sizes, they are able to offer an overwhelming level of support and guidance, which has helped me achieve my career aspirations."

Overall, Meghan would highly recommend this route to anyone and sees it as a better option than a full-time University course.

Competitive

She said: "HLAs are an amazing opportunity that offer access to competitive industries early on. They are a great way to learn as you earn a salary and you are supported and mentored by a team of professionals, which equips you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop both personally and professionally."

Although, as a female within the industry, Meghan has observed how few females there are. She hopes that sharing her experience will inspire more females into apprenticeships, particularly the construction sector, which she believes is becoming more and more open to women.

Meghan explains, "It's not just hard hats and heavy tools; the construction industry is technical and involves great project management skills, centred around relationships, in order to deliver large scale projects. This makes it an exciting career with endless possibilities for everyone.

"My advice, especially for women that are too shy to do something out of their comfort zone, is to do it! I did it, and I don't regret a single second of it; I have met more people like me, made friends for life, and met the most exceptional characters while working in the industry. Just keep working hard and focus on yourself and what you want. Study hard, and the rest will follow."

Post College, Meghan hopes to explore the world, hopefully settling somewhere like Australia, which she describes as a 'luxury she can afford' thanks to her apprenticeship and upcoming BSc Hons Degree qualification, which will be recognised worldwide.

HLA programmes at SWC are fully funded by the Department for the Economy, meaning the student has no course fee to pay, and as an employee, they are earning while they learn. This means that when they achieve their qualification across a wide range of areas such as Engineering, Construction, Sustainability, Transport and Supply, Computing, Business and Accounting, they will have two years of valuable industrial experience and no student debt.

To find out more about the HLA programmes on offer at SWC, contact Noreen McGirr, HLA Manager at [email protected].