Develop Skills for Life: 9 Unbeatable Reasons to Pursue an Apprenticeship with Jacobs

England’s National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is an opportunity to showcase the diverse opportunities that apprenticeships offer and celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses and the wider economy.

There is greater choice than ever at Jacobs with the range of apprenticeships we offer. Our business and the world need innovators and problem solvers who aren’t afraid to reframe the challenge and think differently to help create and deliver the right solutions. Apprenticeships can provide core and practical skills that will shape and create a generation of leaders that can solve for the future – design thinkers, innovators, collaborators and communicators.

#OurJacobs apprentices work across our business supporting a variety of projects, programs and enterprise functions. We recruited over 50 new apprentices in 2024 in the U.K. and aim to grow that number further in 2025. Across the country, we have apprenticeship opportunities ranging from entry level to degree level in a wide variety of disciplines including civil engineering, town planning, quantity surveying and many more. 

“Apprentices play a pivotal part in our Early Careers and Skills Agenda, and we are proud to be committed to their recruitment and development in the U.K.,” says Jacobs Vice President Human Resources Courtney Scott. “Investing in apprenticeships is not just about nurturing talent; it's about securing the future of our businesses and the U.K. economy. By empowering the next generation with the skills and knowledge they need, we are advancing the skills agenda and building a stronger, more innovative and resilient workforce. Every apprentice is a testament to our commitment to excellence and progress."

Our apprentices work on live projects within multi-disciplinary project teams, while training with an approved apprenticeship training provider, so they build a range of relevant technical skills and knowledge they need to establish a rewarding career with us. 

Why become an apprentice with Jacobs?

1. Gain fantastic insight to working in your chosen area – An apprenticeship with Jacobs provides “hands-on” practical experience in a meaningful job role, learning the right skills in a real environment.
2. Learn from those in the know – You will have access to great support when you become an apprentice at Jacobs – both from working alongside experienced people in your workplace and from specialist trainers at your apprenticeship training provider who are there to help you gain the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.
3. Gain the skills you need to build a career – Many apprenticeships, and therefore the skills, knowledge and behaviors that you learn, have been designed in conjunction with employers so they are what employers want and value and could give you the advantage when applying for jobs in the future.
4. Choose from different levels to suit you and your ambitions – Apprenticeships are not only a way to start your career but also a way of progressing when you are in a job. At Jacobs, we are keen advocates of apprenticeships and see this as a great way to recruit and retain talent in our organization.
5. Access lots of career choices – People often think that apprenticeships are for certain technical and practical jobs. Yet nowadays there are apprenticeships in most sectors from civil engineering through to project management, with new apprenticeships being developed all the time.
6. Build your professional networks – On an apprenticeship you will naturally meet lots of people within Jacobs and perhaps with external suppliers and agencies as well. You’ll be in an ideal place to build professional relationships and networks to succeed in your current role and for your future career ambitions. You will also be encouraged to join our Jacobs apprenticeship network, alongside other Jacobs Employee Networks that you can choose to join.  
7. Stand out from the crowd – Apprenticeships are an excellent way to gain access to the sector you want to work in, and if you do a really good job and become a valued member of our team it will put you in a strong position when future job opportunities may arise.
8. Learn transferable skills – As apprentices do real jobs in real work environments at Jacobs, you will gain the softer skills that help you throughout your career and make you more confident, such as team working, effective communication and problem solving.
9. Enjoy what you do – Not only are apprenticeships a fantastic way to really understand an industry and find a career that you enjoy, at Jacobs you will get to meet many different people and make new friends.