Celebrating our Apprenticeships

This week is National Apprenticeship Week, and we have much to celebrate. We now have five apprentices at P+HS Architects, all making a great contribution to the practice and furthering their studies at the same time. Pictured above, clockwise from bottom left are: Alesia, Amelia, Lee, Kate and Connor. Connor is part of our admin team, studying Business Administration as an apprentice, whilst Alesia, Amelia, Lee and Kate are all studying Architecture.

Our first student through the Government Apprenticeship scheme was Alesia who joined P+HS in 2019; now in the third year of her apprenticeship and soon to start her Part 3, Alesia expects to qualify in 2024.

Lee, Amelia and Kate began their apprenticeship journeys in September 2022 at Northumbria University. Amelia said: "For me, the apprenticeship scheme is the perfect next step to achieve my Masters degree as I enjoyed working at P+HS so much during my year out that I didn’t want to go back to full-time education, so having that balance between practice and academia is exactly what I needed!"

"The main thing that sets the apprenticeship scheme out from the traditional full-time course is the access that you have to a range of professionals in practice and their knowledge. Whenever I have faced a problem, my colleagues in the office have always been happy to help and offer any advice I need from both an architectural or technologist point of view which really strengthens my design skills in a more holistic way and pushes my ambition further."

"P+HS have been extremely encouraging through my apprenticeship journey so far and are always ensuring that I am managing my time and stress in a healthy way between university and practice via frequent check-ins and 1-to-1 chats. I know that I have a rich support network in the office that I can turn to if I ever run into a problem."

Amelia's apprenticeship is due to complete in Autumn 2026, allowing 3 years for Masters qualification and 1 year for Part 3. Read more here on Northumbria's Architect Degree Apprenticeship MArch

Director Pete Stead who oversees apprenticeships at P+HS said: "We have always supported both architectural and technology students through their training, helping with tuition fees, providing work placements and mentoring, but the apprenticeship route is relatively new in Architecture, and we are delighted with how it is working out. Students get the best of both worlds with a structured programme of tuition combined with practical work. “

“As well as apprentices, P+HS continues to offer trainees support via more traditional routes and all together we now have 18 people in the Practice at various stages of qualification in design, technical and administration. It’s great that there are now more options open to the younger generation in progressing their careers and we see their encouragement and practical support as hugely important in our role as employers and for the future success of the company.”