My name is Callum Hynes. I am a Level 6 Chartered Management Degree Apprentice at Jacobs, set to complete my apprenticeship in September 2025. I sit within Project Delivery in Transportation, currently working as a Project Controller on a major Highways framework, and I am also working within the Commercial Team on an aviation project. I am also the Apprenticeship Support Lead on the Careers Network Committee within the London office.
I joined Jacobs in September 2022.
As an apprentice, I have been fortunate enough to rotate across various Transportation projects and frameworks, currently working within both the Project Controls team on a major UK Highways project and the Commercial team on a large-scale aviation project, I have found both to be fantastic development opportunities. My day-to-day responsibilities on the highways framework involve preparing our Application for Payment, assisting with forecasting, and managing the approvals process, whilst I have also had the opportunity to support the People Team in preparing wellbeing surveys, working closely with project leadership to determine next steps based on analysis of these survey results.
Additionally, I have been involved in calculating and assessing our fee reallocation between partners, whilst I recently collated information and supported the drafting of an internal award submission for the entire project, a very challenging but rewarding experience. Within my Commercial Support role on the aviation project, I am currently responsible for pricing up the value of change requests, whilst I recently had the fantastic opportunity of presenting a commercial proposal to project leadership during a Green Review meeting.
I have thoroughly enjoyed applying university theory to my involvement in real-life projects, adding invaluable depth to my knowledge. I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from the specialist expertise of employees at the forefront of project delivery, whilst my eagerness to explore all opportunities has enabled me to develop a range of transferable skills. Throughout my apprenticeship, I have been an active and well-established member of the apprentice community and wider Early Careers network, I have relished making new connections which have enabled me to build a strong support network.
I have also enjoyed the opportunity to rotate across projects or teams and fulfil a wide range of Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours, embracing diverse perspectives and understanding how different projects are delivered within a fast-moving environment, crucial for fulfilling my apprenticeship competences and my long-term career development.
An apprenticeship programme represents an exciting opportunity to combine workplace practice with university or college study / theory, but the key to success is effective time management. Having time management techniques in place is imperative for balancing workplace responsibilities with studying commitment, I aim to utilise my daily commute effectively by undertaking core reading activities, research towards university assignments or preparing my EPA evidence portfolio, which helps me to maintain a suitable work-life-study balance.
Everyone has different techniques but knowing what works for you and implementing time management techniques on a consistent basis is crucial for effectively balancing all the components of an apprenticeship programme. An apprenticeship can be challenging, but with resilience, commitment, effective time management, and the support network within Jacobs, it is most definitely achievable.
