National Apprenticeship Week always gives us a moment to pause and reflect on where careers begin; and how important the right environment, opportunity and encouragement can be in shaping them.
As National Apprenticeship Week comes to a close, we celebrated with a team tour visit to East Kent College’s new Margate Digital Campus — a project we were proud to be involved in and support. Located in the heart of Margate’s growing creative quarter, the campus provides industry-focused training, courses and apprenticeships for students pursuing careers in the digital and creative sectors. From animation and graphic design to media production and digital technologies, the building has been designed to feel purposeful, contemporary and connected to the industries it serves.
Seeing the Impact First-Hand
Walking back through the space with colleagues was a reminder of why projects like this matter. It is one thing to manage budgets, programmes and compliance; it is another to see the finished project and see the studios, which will allow students to collaborate on ideas and developing skills that will shape their futures. Adding another layer to the visit, we were joined by a work experience student spending time with us that week. Experiencing a live project environment — and understanding the many disciplines involved in delivering it. This offered a valuable insight into careers that are not always visible from the outside. Quantity Surveying, Project Management and Principal Designer often sit behind the scenes, yet they are integral to creating spaces where learning and innovation can thrive.
Early Engagement and Long-Term Growth
Supporting early engagement has long been important to us. Whether through school work experience placements, guest talks at colleges, mentoring, or structured training within our own teams, we believe careers in the built environment should feel accessible and understandable. Too often, young people are unaware of the breadth of opportunity our industry offers. Exposure changes that.
Apprenticeships, in particular, represent a powerful pathway. They combine hands-on experience with formal qualifications, creating professionals who are both technically skilled and commercially aware. As a business that invests heavily in training and development, we see first-hand how this blend of practical and academic learning builds confident, capable individuals.
Building More Than Buildings
National Apprenticeship Week is about celebrating those journeys; from first curiosity to professional qualification. Visiting Margate Digital reminded us that the environments we help create are not simply buildings; they are platforms for growth.
We are proud to support projects that open doors, and equally proud to play a small part in encouraging the next generation to step through them.
