National Apprenticeship Week Spotlight: A conversation with Luke Bettinson
To round off National Apprenticeship Week, we’re bringing you the third and final instalment in our series of Q&As with apprentices working across different disciplines within McCann.
This article focuses on Electrical apprentice, Luke Bettinson, as we take time to learn about why civil engineering excites him as an industry and what he sees his future looking like within Electrical engineering beyond his apprenticeship.
It’s great to meet you Luke. How long have you been with the business and what apprenticeship course are you currently studying towards?
I joined McCann nearly four years ago now – the time has flown by. In terms of the course I’m studying, I’m working towards an NVQ electrical qualification.
Can you tell us a bit more about what your role involves please?
I work within the electrical side of the business across National Highways Area 7. The practical side of my apprenticeship largely covers lighting – particularly the installation of LED street lighting and any associated civils work. This covers the installation of lighting columns, and lanterns while wider civils work has offered me experience with pulling cable to columns and installing signs and bollards.
I’ve already had experience of working on a number of major projects. The first was an LED upgrade scheme on the A46, which saw me upgrading old lanterns for new LEDs and changing cutouts. I’ve also been responsible for inspecting and testing assets on the A14 junction 7-9 project, alongside installing new CMS systems and gateways within feeder pillars to make sure that the lights perform to the best possible standard. This technology also allows you to dim the lights to 50% and 25% brightness, or switch them off completely. It’s fascinating to see what’s possible with the technologies that are available to us.
What made you decide that an apprenticeship was the right path for you?
I decided to complete an apprenticeship with McCann because I enjoy getting stuck in with practical work. I have always had a passion for wanting to upskill within a specific trade. I think having a skill like this is great to have under your belt and with electrical engineering, it’s a highly sought after area of expertise within civil engineering as an industry as new technologies and approaches emerge.
What is it about civil engineering as an industry that excites you in particular?
Being a part of the civil engineering industry excites me because every job I go to is different and I love a new challenge. I enjoy working as a team and learning new skills, which will help me with completing my apprenticeship.
What was it about McCann that really stood out to you as an employer?
McCann stood out to me because it’s a business with over 50 years of experience, and it has a really positive reputation within its industry.
What are your future aspirations for your career in civil engineering?
My aspirations for the future are to become a qualified electrician – which will allow me to take on more responsibilities and develop further within my role so that I can support colleagues and clients with major projects as and when required.
