To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with past and present building services engineering apprentices here at Hannan Associates to see what they had to say about their experiences.

George Ellison – Apprentice Electrical Design Engineer

George joined Hannans in 2023 when he started his BEng Degree Apprenticeship in Building Services & Sustainable Engineering after completing his HNC and Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Construction & the Built Environment.

Why is undertaking an apprenticeship the right route for you?

Undertaking a degree apprenticeship is the right route for me as I’ve been able to study for a well-recognised qualification whilst also gaining valuable experience in the workplace.

It’s also a great opportunity to earn money whilst completing your studies. The exposure you get being in the workplace on a day-to-day basis weather that be learning software, attending site visits or meetings, these are all skills which being an apprentice helps build and prepare you for the future.

I enjoy being able to play my part in making a positive impact on the way buildings work/perform, the problem-solving aspect of the job and I also enjoy the demand of it i.e. being kept busy at all times.

My future aspirations would be after completing my Degree to become a well-recognised chartered Electrical Engineer.

What do you enjoy about working at Hannans?

I enjoy the spirit of the team here at Hannan’s, everyone has been extremely welcoming which has made it easy for me to work to the best of my ability at an early stage. There is also a vast range of projects and certainly ones which I have an invested interest in i.e football stadia.

Any advice for people looking at starting a career in building services engineering?

My advice for people considering going into Building Services Engineering would be if you enjoy problem solving and feel as though you would thrive in a fast paced, evolving industry then go for it. It’s a career which will allow you to experience a variety of interesting projects, seeing how they progress from a patch of land all the way through to the finished article.

Brad Spivey – Electrical Design Engineer

Brad joined Hannan Associates seven years ago as an apprentice. He completed his Building Services Engineering HNC at Stockport College and then progressed onto the BEng Degree Apprenticeship in Building Services & Sustainable Engineering at the University of Central Lancashire, which he completed in 2022.

During his time with the Hannan team Brad has developed into a highly skilled, client focused and motivated electrical design engineer contributing to the success of his projects by ensuring that client needs are met at all stages, during design and construction and by ensuring that energy efficiency is always considered and incorporated.

Brad has helped lead several utilities infrastructure projects by producing utility load assessments, reviewing existing infrastructure services and diversion requirements, identifying initial utility space and route requirements, submission of utility applications as well as monitoring utility installations on site.

Why was undertaking an apprenticeship the right route for you?

The apprenticeship route enabled me to train on the job with the luxury of studying one day a week at college & university helping to make my studies much more relatable.

This allowed me to progress academically whilst gaining experience and progressing my career.

What do you enjoy about working at Hannans?

I have worked as an electrical engineer at Hannan Associates for seven years starting out as an apprentice. During this time, I have worked on stadia, industrial warehouse parks, leisure, office and infrastructure projects as well as regularly attending site to complete site inspections and witnessing of systems to ensure all systems are adequate for handover. Everyone at Hannan Associates is helpful and works as a team to ensure that projects are delivered on time to the required standards.

Any advice for people looking at starting a career in building services engineering?

My advice firstly would be research the building services industry and decide if it’s right for you. Building services has a big role to play in the future due to the need for reducing both existing and new build CO2 emissions whilst ensuring the sustainability needs of buildings are met. This could be your chance to contribute and make a difference both locally and on a larger global scale.

My advice personally to anyone looking to get into building services would be work hard and don’t give up if you make a mistake or don’t achieve something at the first attempt.

Careers at Hannan Associates 

If you are interested in joining the Hannan team please get in touch.

We are expanding and on the lookout for new talent for our busy Manchester office. We know that our people are key to the success of our business and we need enthusiastic, inspired and proactive people who are committed to new ways of thinking and working at the leading edge of Building Performance and Sustainability.

With 40 years in business we can offer you valuable experience of a fast paced, innovative environment and a very varied workload. Our long standing team of engineers provide mentoring and guidance and we are committed to providing support and funding for continued training and development.

Hannan Associates are an equal opportunities employer and we value the diversity of our workforce. Applicants are considered in relation to business needs, job requirements & individual qualifications without regard to age, sex, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity.