A Lincolnshire college student has earned an apprenticeship with Galliford Try following a 18-month work placement.
Oscar Lacey, 18, had been a work placement student with Galliford Try from November 2021 to May 2023 before applying for an apprenticeship position following a successful second year at Lincoln College.
Having achieved a Level 3 extended diploma in construction and built environment, Oscar is now working towards a Level 4 HNC qualification while continuing to gain invaluable on-the-job experience while working on one of the county council’s biggest major road projects.
Oscar said: “I absolutely loved the work placement I did with Galliford Try’s Grantham Southern Relief Road team, so decided to apply for a more formal role. Luckily, I made a good impression and was taken onboard as an apprentice.
“Since starting, I’ve been given more responsibility, such as carrying out some setting out tasks and quality checks by myself, as well as getting even more involved with site engineering.
“Now that I’m back working with Galliford Try, I’m most looking forward to developing my industry knowledge through my college course and on-site work experience, whilst continuing to develop the skills and techniques that will help aid me to have a successful civil engineering career.
“I hope that the blend of academic and site settings; hands-on experience covering a whole range of different elements of work; and all of the advice and support gained from my Galliford Try colleagues and peers will be the start of a successful career for me within the industry.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to develop the various skills and knowledge taught in the classroom and apply them practically on-site, so I’ll be doing my absolute best to make the most of it!”
Oscar was also thrilled about having the chance to continue working on the Grantham Southern Relief Road project. He said: “It’s very exciting to be able to experience the various works that have taken place so far on a project of this size, including surfacing, piling works, and structural concrete.
“At such a young age, it’s also a privilege to be part of such a major project in my home county whilst also gaining invaluable experience.”
Barry Knox, senior project manager for Galliford Try, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Oscar onto the team to both continue his academic studies and develop into the proficient engineer I know he’s going to be in the future.
“I made the decision to try and get Oscar onto the GT apprenticeship pathway based upon his effort and application during his work experience placements. The fact he continued to attend site during his holidays showed the work ethic that Oscar has and demonstrated to me that this was someone who wanted to learn.
“The work experience placement acted as an extended interview process and let the team get to know Oscar while he was learning. Everyone on site is pleased to welcome Oscar back into the fold.”
Cllr Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways, commented: “I’m incredibly happy that Oscar is continuing his journey into civil engineering by continuing work on the Grantham Southern Relief Road. There’s a major need for more bright young people to get involved within the industry to become the next generation of UK engineers.
“Hopefully other young people hear Oscar’s success story and get inspired to try their hand at construction and engineering.”
The Grantham Southern Relief Road project is being led by Lincolnshire County Council and supported by South Kesteven District Council, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Highways England, Department for Transport, Network Rail, Homes England and local businesses.
