Posted on November 05, 2018

Twelve months ago, Lawrence Owho joined AspinallVerdi as the firm’s first apprentice. We thought this would be a good time to have a catch-up and find how he has found the experience to date.  

Q.1 So looking back now, how did you find the first few months at AspinallVerdi?

Lawrence: My first few months at AspinallVerdi were quite challenging. Moving from a school leaver into a professional environment meant I had to quickly learn new routines and embrace new experiences. In addition, I had to start a university course at the same time. So the pressure was certainly on from the start! However, with the support of my Directors and colleagues, I was able to quickly adapt to my new environment.

Q.2 Has life working in a surveying practice been what you had expected?

Lawrence: Coming into the practice I did not know what to expect. I did not expect my day to day working like to be so dynamic and varied as it has been.

Q.3 What do your friends and family think about you being on the apprenticeship programme?

Lawrence:  My friends and family are really impressed by the positive effect that the apprenticeship programme has had on me as a person. They have seen me mature as a person and as a result, a number of my friends and family members are considering an apprenticeship as an alternative to university.

Q.4 What have been the biggest challenges you faced over the last 12 months?

Lawrence: One of the biggest challenges I have faced is my time management. At certain times I have had to manage different tasks at the same time and I have had to learn to prioritise them to ensure I meet colleagues’ expectations.

Q.5 What have been the highlights over the last 12 months?

Lawrence:  I have a number of highlights over the last 12 months, this has been mainly around my exposure to projects. I have actively taken part in employment site assessments for East Northants and Kettering local authorities. Also, I got to shadow a planning appeal; I attended the con at the Barrister’s Chambers and attended the appeal hearing to see how the evidence I helped prepare fed into the process.  

Q.6 And looking forward what are your aims for the next 12 months?

Lawrence:  My aims for the next 12 months include successfully completing the second year of my degree as well as progressing my professional career AspinallVerdi. I am keen to take a more active role in the handling of projects and learning more about GIS mapping.