Apprenticeship ‘first’ for Eurovia employees
Four apprentices complete industry's first Level 2 Road Surfacing Operative programme
FOUR Eurovia apprentices have successfully completed the UK’s first Level 2 Road Surfacing Operative apprenticeship scheme. Developed in partnership with the Institute of Asphalt Technology (IAT) and Wirtgen Training Centre, in Nottinghamshire, the programme provides apprentices with high-quality training to grow their skills, knowledge, and understanding of the road construction and contracting sectors.
With the goal of establishing a common way of working in road surfacing and attracting younger people into the industry, the 18-month apprenticeship gives learners an understanding of the theory around road surfacing, as well as practical on-site training using different plant and equipment required to complete works effectively.
Eurovia were one of several businesses that approached IAT, who engaged with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) in 2017 to create the first Road Surfacing Operative apprenticeship scheme. However, due to a lack of funding, Eurovia approached Telford College to run the first cohort of apprentices in October 2020, subsiding the shortfall of the funding.
The Road Surfacing Operative apprenticeship is designed to be completed within 15-18 months, with each class consisting of a maximum of 12 students, who follow learning material approved by IAT. The practical training is undertaken in a safe and controlled environment, allowing the apprentices to develop a working knowledge of the plant and machinery without the need to work in a live traffic situation.
Paul Goosey, managing director of Eurovia, said: ‘The need to train and develop apprentices has never been so important in our industry. This new Road Surfacing Operative Apprenticeship is essential to ensure a professional and sustainable workforce for the future of our surfacing business.’
For the apprentices who have completed the education and training programme, they are now part of the next generation of road surfacing professionals and being the first cohort to do so, is a huge achievement.
One of the apprentices commented: ‘Being trained, and developed by a company like Eurovia, was a perfect opportunity for me. The apprenticeship has allowed me to gain the knowledge, understanding, and skills that I require to pursue my ambition of becoming a surfacing supervisor. The main thing that I love is that no one day is the same in this job and every day you learn something completely new, both on a personal and professional level.’
The Road Surfacing Operative apprenticeship scheme is not only beneficial to the students, but also to Eurovia Surfacing and the industry as a whole, bringing in new blood to what has become an aging profession.
