By Paul Biddles
This National Apprenticeship Week, I’ve been reflecting a lot. It’s a bit of a surreal moment for me; I’ve recently stepped into the role of Property Operations Director, and it’s made me look back at exactly where it all began.
If you want proof that there’s no ceiling at BWB, my career is probably the best case study you’ll find.
Starting Before the Results Were In
I joined BWB straight from school at 16. In fact, I was already through the doors and working a couple of months before my GCSE results even came out. Back then, the structured “Apprenticeship” programmes we see today weren’t quite the same, but the essence was identical: I was there to learn the ropes from the ground up.
My first significant milestone was a City & Guilds AutoCAD course. At the time, the logic was simple, the more drawing work I could do, the more value I could add to the team. I spent those early years doing the “apprentice duties” that build your foundation: marking up drawings, observing senior engineers, and absorbing how a project actually moves from a sketch to a site.
Every Tier, Every Level
One thing I’m incredibly proud of is that I’ve worked in every single tier we have at BWB. I’ve been a Trainee Technician, an Engineering Technician, an Engineer, a Senior Engineer, an Associate, and a Regional Structures Lead.
There’s a world of difference between how I started and how our new recruits begin today. Back then, I was hand-drawing every detail. If you made a mistake, you couldn’t just hit ‘undo’. While the tools have shifted from physical boards to digital platforms, the fundamental engineering logic remains the same. It’s been amazing to bridge that gap and lead a team that is now at the cutting edge of digital delivery.
That Journey across the levels gave me a massive range of experience. I’ve worked on everything from schools and hospitals to industrial units and even refurbishing Blackpool’s piers and towers. I’ve worked with steel, concrete, timber, and masonry; if it’s structures-related, I’ve likely had my hands on it.
A personal “claim to fame” for me is the RAD Building. I was the lead engineer for that project from start to finish. It’s ten years old now, but seeing it on the front of company brochures still feels great. It was a Passivhaus scheme that really tested our structural capabilities, and delivering it was a massive turning point in my career.
Leading from Experience
My new role as Operations Director is a different beast. These days, I’m less involved in the nitty-gritty of project delivery and more focused on the “people” and “process” side of the business.
Some days I feel more like a counsellor than an engineer, talking to teams, resolving bottlenecks, and making sure the business is performing as it should. But because I’ve done every one of those roles myself, I have a level of empathy for my teams that you can’t get from a textbook. I know the pressures they face because I’ve stood in their shoes.
My Advice to New Apprentices
When I’m out recruiting or talking to our new intake, I tell them the same thing: you can work yourself through this business successfully. I’m not an outlier; I’m a product of a company that allows you to grow if you’re willing to put in the work. I joined BWB as a teenager with no results in my hand, and today I’m helping lead the Property group.
To everyone who is thinking about an apprenticeship: take every opportunity, ask every question, and don’t be afraid to start at the bottom; it’s the best way to make sure you eventually reach the top.