Apprentices are a vital source of talent, new ideas and fresh perspectives for businesses of today, something that's recognised none more so than by AECOM.

AECOM's Apprenticeship Programmes

AECOM's Apprenticeship Programme supports and trains school leavers while Apprentice Plus taps into a new group of potential employees, especially those who've delayed the start of their career or who want to refocus their career after a break. 

AECOM also recruits school students from the age of 16 into technical and support service roles. AECOM's annual intake tends to be September, and the company typically advertises for applications via their careers website around October each year.

AECOM's UK&I Early Careers Development Programme ADVANCE is designed to attract and develop the best talent. The company has over 300 apprentices from numerous disciplines developing their technical and soft skills and working towards their professional accreditation, while studying at college or university.

AECOM's ADVANCE Programme

ADVANCE is a 2.5 year blended learning programme promoting collaboration across all AECOM End Markets, ensuring that AECOM's apprentices network with and learn from other apprentices across the UKI business.

The programme includes:

• Induction to introduce you to AECOM and some of AECOM's senior leaders, and to give you a detailed overview of the AECOM business and ‘ADVANCE’
• An Outward Bound week to develop some core behavioural competencies
• Training events to develop your skills & knowledge around project delivery, emotional intelligence, presentation skills, digital transformation and work winning
• Supplemented by online learning, and on-the-job technical development
• Support towards the relevant professional qualification as detailed above
• AECOM also encourages all its apprentices to become STEM Ambassadors and to make use of the 2 paid CSR days AECOM provides each year

AECOM’s ADVANCE focuses on career development planning and promoting collaborative working. There are four face-to-face classroom sessions and these cover everything from introducing the AECOM business, how to conduct yourself as a professional, through to a focus on personal strengths and wellbeing, as well as online support.

Achieving professional qualifications

Professional accreditation is a key component of an apprentice's development and also important for AECOM’s business success. AECOM will support you towards accreditation with the relevant professional institute.

Qualifications apply to Engineering, Surveying & Project Management, Transport Planning, and Development Planning apprentices.

Valuable support from a college or university

All of AECOM's apprentices are supported through college and/or university. Typically, this is on a day release basis. Some courses are distance learning or block release and AECOM will endeavour to accommodate these learning requirements where possible.

Receiving funding

Where possible AECOM apprentices will be enrolled on government approved apprenticeship levy funded courses. Where Government funding isn’t available, AECOM will financially support apprentices on the appropriate course.

AECOM Apprentice Ambassadors

AECOM wants to create a real community spirit within the apprenticeship programme by providing peer apprentices, known as Apprentice Ambassadors, they can go to if they need help outside of the programme. Apprentice Ambassadors represent and support apprentices across the UK and Ireland business.

The Ambassadors help oversee and support any new ideas, initiatives or tasks that relate to apprentices in their part of the business. They also help promote the ADVANCE programme and AECOM more broadly through social media, at apprenticeship development days and other events.

The Apprentice Ambassadors are a friendly face in a big organisation, helps AECOM tap into this new thinking, and give apprentices the confidence and ability to share their ideas with the wider business.

AECOM's Apprentice Handbook

 As a further support for AECOM apprentices, AECOM's handbooks, written by the apprentices themselves, provide a general introduction to AECOM as well as business line specific information, and detail what to expect as an apprentice at AECOM.

How to apply

The application process involves submitting your CV online, followed by a final stage interview with the hiring manager, for successful candidates, in the office to which they have applied.

AECOM fully supports their apprentices towards their academic studies. They provide you with an allocated mentor responsible for supporting and guiding your professional development, and they'll provide you with appropriate on-the-job and classroom training as required.

AECOM's longer term aim is for you to study a relevant part-time degree (although this will depend on your business line, individual performance, and your personal aspirations), and subsequently attain your professional qualification with the relevant institution.

Become an AECOM apprentice today

 From building structures to highways design, rail electrification to water engineering, surveying & project management to transport planning, AECOM apprentices are working on ground breaking construction projects.

If you want to get involved, search and apply for a role today.

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