Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the Careers in Construction week because it gave me an insight into all the different roles that are involved in completing a project. I also loved how interactive the sessions were during the week when carrying out group activities, listening to the employees talk about their experiences working at Mace and learning about the construction industry as a whole.

I at first I was a little shy, but I was always invited to ask questions and share my thoughts during the sessions so I was then able to do so as time went on.

I especially appreciated the amount of guidance I recieved during the experience. For example, we recieved CV, application and interview advice that made what to do and what not to do very clear. I recieved a follow up after the experience and was even able to get feedback on a mock interview I did with one of the employees. This definitely increased my confidence in doing more in the future.

I am currently doing A-levels and I feel like the information I recieved helped me to make a decision as to what career I would like to go into (in the construction industry). Also, the experience and feedback I got assured me that I've chosen the right career industry for me.

Each day was structured into 30-minute talks with regular intermittent breaks in between. None of the talks lasted too long or wasn't long enough - it was just right so I could take in the important aspects of the talks without feeling overwhelmed with information.

The warm atmosphere put me at ease and I wanted to contribute to making others feel comfortable and to enjoy their experience as much as I did.

I was able to submit my answers to some questions that would appear in an application for a job at Mace, and receive advice from an employee as to what to include in my answers. Also, they invested their time in giving me furher advice about how to make an application if I was serious about working in that industry and for their company. They also encouraged me to keep in touch so that I would be aware when applications would be open.

I found out what the day to day life of people working in the construction industry is like. For instance, I heard from project managers, cost consultants, engineers, architects and more about the daily responsibilities involved in their role, and the qualifications and skills I would need. As for apprenticeships, I understood that if I was able to get an apprenticeship with Mace I would still be valued and encouraged to challenge myself by working on major projects (not only smaller ones).

From the virtual experience, I understand that Mace emphasises on its safety first values for all employees and how innovation is encouraged no matter what role you play within the project lifecycle. I appreciate their goal to create better environments through sustainability and their aim to have net zero carbon emissions. Also, I learnt about how they create opportunities for their employees and how focusing on the client is very important when in the process of completing a project.

The content was very helpful because before, I wasn't sure what career best suited me. After the experience, I knew what role I was interested in the most and exactly how to go about applying for that role with Mace. It also helped me to make a firm decision about whether to apply for an apprenticeship with Mace, or go to university first and what to expect from both options. It's also encouraged me to strive for the qualifications I need to have for an apprentice position with Mace.

I did receive a £20 amazon voucher.

I was able to network with some of the employees from Mace through social media websites, such as LinkedIn, and felt free to contact them at anytime to ask any more questions about the application process, apprenticeships, careers in the construction industry and how to develop my skills.

There were limited social events because it was done virtually due to the pandemic.

No.

I definitely would recommend the experience to a friend who was interested in the construction industrybecause Mace gave me a great introduction to it, and only increased my enthusiasm for my future career I hope to have with them.