Meet Charlie, a former DEC student from Alder Grange School, Lancashire, who is building his career through a technical apprenticeship with Balfour Beatty.

Charlie has officially hit his one-year milestone as a Geospatial Survey Technician Apprentice at Balfour Beatty (well done Charlie!) and is currently working on the A57 Mottram Link Project.

Charlie’s Level 3 DEC project in sixth form focused on the adaptive reuse of a village church into a space where the local community could learn about sustainable living.

During the summer, Charlie spent three days on a work placement at St Nicholas’ Church, Sabden, where students explored sustainability aspirations and reconnecting with nature with Martin Brown of Fairsnape.

They also shadowed heritage architecture building surveyors as they carried out a full condition survey of the 19th-century building and adjoining graveyard.

He was able to experience first-hand the role of professionals in a real community project, something he’d studied throughout the DEC programme, but had never experienced as a secondary school student.

“Charlie was a great student. He was quiet, but he got things done and always produced work to a really good standard. He only started DEC in sixth form and wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next. But early in our St Nicholas’ Church project, he had a go at land surveying and soon decided it was the career for him. COYO arranged a week’s work experience with Site Surveying Services, and when an apprenticeship opportunity came up at Balfour Beatty, he jumped at the chance.”

Vicki Irving, Charlie’s DEC Teacher

Charlie followed up with another work experience, this time with Site Surveying Services, Clitheroe, carrying out utilities surveys near the Welsh border.

These two placements gave Charlie a broader understanding of what surveying might involve. The industry exposure wasn’t about ticking a box for his CV. It allowed him to genuinely explore work he might later pursue professionally.

That’s why ensuring young people have access to truly representative work placements is key – helping them to discover where they might belong and enabling their curiosity to develop and evolve.

Charlie had considered many career paths, including architecture and becoming an electrician, but he was very clear in wanting to gain practical experience and start working rather than following a university route.

Charlie’s A-level choices of Maths and Geography complemented his DEC Level 3 studies, giving him a combination of technical and geographical knowledge that could be applied directly to projects.

When it came to looking for an apprenticeship, he found that opportunities were limited; there didn’t appear to be many apprenticeships available, and it seemed a lot of people wanted them.

With support from DEC teacher Vicki Irving and Alison Watson at Class Of Your Own, he applied for an apprenticeship with Balfour Beatty.

Initially, Charlie was unsuccessful due to the location of the role, but he remained optimistic and committed – and it paid off!

He was eventually invited to an interview with his future manager and later received an offer for the position, starting in September 2025. As one might imagine, Charlie was very happy when the phone call came through.

Choosing a Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician apprenticeship means Charlie combines college-based learning with practical experience on site. He attends Cronton Sixth Form College three times a year in two-week blocks, allowing him to concentrate fully on his studies before returning to work.

Charlie’s small cohort of around ten apprentices means each student benefits from individual attention and a focused environment. His classes are led by tutors who are also experienced industry professionals, bringing valuable knowledge to support his development.

At Balfour Beatty, Charlie has a varied role. Some of his work includes setting out, drone imagery and visual surveys, monitoring underground water and supporting engineers with controls.

He is currently working on the long-awaited A57 Mottram Link Road, which, once completed, will help reduce congestion between Manchester and Sheffield. This gives Charlie experience on a major infrastructure project, placing him in a great position for future opportunities.

Charlie is already beginning to take on more responsibility within his team.

His Survey Manager, Kurtis Grantham, describes him as ‘demonstrating a positive attitude and willingness to support colleagues, while developing skills across equipment preparation, record keeping, operational reporting and survey activities’.

“It has been particularly encouraging to see Charlie show increasing initiative and confidence in his role, taking ownership of tasks and contributing to the smooth running of day-to-day operations.”

Kurtis Grantham, Survey Manager, Balfour Beatty

And for Charlie, one of the biggest attractions of surveying is the variety of his working environment:

“What I enjoy most about my role is the balance of working in the office and working outside. I get to learn and use different equipment depending on the job task. I work in different environments and conditions and get to work alongside professionals who know the roles well.”

Charlie

Charlie is enjoying his career so far and hopes to develop his skills further with Balfour Beatty.

For now, he’s focusing on building his experience and developing his technical skills, making the most of the opportunities available to him. In the future, he would like to work on some of the UK’s larger infrastructure projects, inspired by HS2 and the Lower Thames Crossing.

Charlie is enjoying his career so far and hopes to develop his skills further with Balfour Beatty.

For now, he’s focusing on building his experience and developing his technical skills, making the most of the opportunities available to him. In the future, he would like to work on some of the UK’s larger infrastructure projects, inspired by HS2 and the Lower Thames Crossing.

Charlie’s story highlights the value of project-based learning and being immersed in real-life scenarios, where questions are welcomed and encouraged. Through studying Design Engineer Construct!, he could see that a professional career was attainable. Meaningful encounters with employers then helped him understand what those careers could look like in practice and, crucially, how he could get there.

A role model can inspire a young person to think “I want to do what you do.” The next question is: “How do I get there?”

And then comes the question every student like Charlie wants to hear.

“When can you start?”

We’ll leave the last word to Vicki Irving, Charlie’s DEC Teacher:

“On a recent visit to Cronton Sixth Form College, I was delighted to bump into Charlie, out doing a levelling exercise with the other apprentices. He had a big smile on his face and looked like he was thoroughly enjoying it. It was lovely to see him doing something he’d first discovered through DEC.”

Vicki Irving, Charlie’s DEC Teacher

If you’re interested in a career at Balfour Beatty, visit:
https://www.balfourbeatty.com/careers/careers-at-balfour-beatty/

For more information about the Geospatial Apprenticeships, visit:
https://www.gsa-uk.org.uk/geospatial-apprenticeships-a-simple-guide/