Ewan Roach, 20, is a civil engineer apprentice on Virgin Media’s Project Lightning
After a year at university, Ewan decided that his degree choice wasn’t going to lead him to the career he really wanted and took the decision to apply to the Virgin Media civil engineering apprenticeship.
Attracted by ‘Project Lightning’, the biggest investment in UK digital infrastructure in over a decade, Ewan instantly saw the possibilities of working on and the responsibilities this could offer.
It was only five months after shadowing colleagues that Ewan felt he had gained enough experience to supervise his own project. Ewan proudly said: “The project was a success and delivered more numbers for the company than expected in a shorter timeframe than forecasted. As a result I was awarded Engineer of the Month.”
On a day-to-day basis, Ewan finds himself “acting as site supervisor/engineer from the client side of the project. This involves monitoring the contractor’s work and ensuring that it complies with our company standards and government legislation. I also get involved with formulating ideas to overcome obstacles not seen in the plans, finding potential opportunities for network expansion or spotting any complications that arise. It’s a great mix of real-life exposure and genuine contribution.”
Ewan said that after he completes his apprenticeship, he’s “looking forward to being involved in even larger projects, over larger areas that involve more homes”.
Visit virg.in/futurecareers to find out more about apprenticeships at Virgin Media
