National Apprenticeship Week: Building confidence, capability and opportunity

At AHR, we believe continuous development, in all its forms, strengthens both people and practice. National Apprenticeship Week gives us a moment to reflect on progress, recognise growth and reaffirm our commitment to equal access to education.

At a time when recent government decisions are making apprenticeships more challenging for many organisations to sustain, we feel it is even more important to champion their value and protect the opportunities they create.

Apprenticeships sit alongside mentoring and work experience, reflecting our belief that diverse pathways into architecture and building consultancy enrich our practice. Different perspectives challenge thinking, strengthen collaboration and help us shape places that respond better to people and communities.

We recently caught up with apprentices from across our practice to hear about their experiences, how they’re developing through learning in practice, the skills and strengths they’re building and how they’re preparing for life after their apprenticeships. Scroll on to hear their insights and experiences.

Growing through learning in practice

Learning while working creates space for people to grow with confidence, not pressure. Our apprentices often reflect on how being part of a live practice helps them feel supported, trusted and valued from the outset. That sense of belonging makes learning feel purposeful and real.

Day by day, they build independence, professional judgement and technical understanding in a way that full-time study alone cannot always offer. For our practice, this steady development strengthens our teams naturally.

Apprentices contribute meaningfully to live projects, take on practical responsibilities and grow into their roles over time. This shared approach supports collaboration and allows experienced colleagues to focus their attention where it adds the greatest value.

Skills and strengths that support future paths

As apprentices progress, their skills deepen through everyday experience. Managing deadlines, communicating ideas clearly and working comfortably with others become part of normal practice. Many apprentices speak about how this builds confidence and clarity in their own strengths.

Tom shares, “Through extensive design and specification work I have gained an attention to detail that I don’t think I would have gained through the traditional university path. To be a good building surveyor I believe you require good attention to detail so that projects can move efficiently and minimise the risk of problems.”

These transferable skills support any future career path, whether within architecture, building consultancy or beyond. At the same time, apprentices bring immediate benefits to our teams.

Jonathan adds, “I’m building strong conceptual design thinking, understanding the narrative of a building from inception through to completion. This development is taught in both university, and in the workplace, but having the opportunity to work on real projects ties that knowledge down and helps link the creativity to reality.”

They often introduce new tools, digital approaches and ways of thinking shaped by current learning. That fresh perspective encourages innovation and helps our practice stay responsive and forward-looking.

Preparing for life beyond the apprenticeship

Learning within a live practice brings academic theory to life. Apprentices see how ideas evolve from early concepts through coordination, planning and delivery, gaining a clear understanding of how buildings come together.

Along the way, they develop hands-on experience of Building Information Modelling (BIM), building regulations and working within multi-disciplinary teams. This real-world exposure builds confidence and readiness for the next stage of their careers. For us, it also supports strong retention and continuity.

Many apprentices grow with us, building long-term relationships, deep project knowledge and a genuine sense of belonging. That continuity strengthens our teams and helps us deliver consistent, high quality outcomes for the people and communities we support.

We are proud to support equal rights to education and a wide range of career pathways into the built environment. Apprenticeships, scholarships and mentoring form part of our wider social value commitment, helping open doors and support future talent from varied backgrounds.

To learn more about how we create social value through education, skills and community engagement, visit our social value page.