DCG Success Stories

Trainee structural technician Ben Wilcox is thrilled to have won Apprentice of the Year in the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) Awards 2023.  

The former Derby College Group apprentice had no idea that his employer, BWB Consulting Ltd in Nottingham, had entered him in the awards until he received an email telling him he’d been shortlisted. 

Eighteen-year-old Ben has now completed his Level 3 BTEC Civil Engineering Technician apprenticeship and is looking forward to continuing his career and taking further qualifications. 

He said: “I was lost for words when I got the email. I’m so proud to have won the award and am so grateful to everyone at work and at college who have supported me since I started my apprenticeship.

“A special thanks goes to the structures team at BWB for all their guidance and to my college tutors for always being there for me and passing on their experiences.”  

Ben had planned to go into engineering when he left school and was looking at apprenticeships when the BWB opportunity arose.  

His uncle is a senior structural technician with BWB and mentioned to Ben that the Nottingham office was recruiting apprentices. 

Ben said: “The person who interviewed me was my mentor and is now my manager. I love my job and am so glad I took the apprenticeship route.  

“At work I mix with people older than me, and with a lot more experience. It’s really changed who I am. It’s made me more mature in my thinking.”  

Ben had struggled with maths at school but found he enjoyed learning further maths on his BTEC course. 

He added: “I like a challenge – and discovering how maths relates to my work as a structural technician was an eye opener.  

“It was hard going to college part-time as I had to do assignments and projects in my own time but my tutors were always contactable. I didn’t have to wait to speak to them until the next time I was at college. 

My dad’s a joiner and I helped him a lot when I was at school. That’s probably why I liked the practical, hands-on part of my apprenticeship while also learning the theory. I don’t think I’d want to sit in a classroom five days a week. 

I now want to carry on my education to HNC level and learn the drawing side then maybe do a degree. I’d like to be a structural engineer one day but at the moment I love being a technician.”