Apprenticeship Stories: 2021 CEF Apprentice of the Year, Annie Crozier, Reflects on Her Successful Apprenticeship and Growth with Heron Bros.

National Apprenticeship Week is an important time for companies like Heron Bros to recognise and celebrate the achievements of their apprentices. This year, Heron Bros is proud to highlight the successes of former award-winning apprentice, and now engineering graduate, Annie Crozier. Following her A-Levels, Annie took a gap year to travel to Australia, where she was impressed by the vast array of engineering projects and how much diversity there was in construction and the opportunities were endless.

This experience reinforced her desire to pursue a career in civil engineering and commence her apprenticeship in Civil and Environmental Engineering with Heron Bros in October 2018. Throughout Annie's two-year apprenticeship, she demonstrated her passion for the industry and made significant contributions to several Heron Bros projects, including Brook Leisure Centre which notably achieved the prestigious inaugural RICS Social Impact Award and Considerate Constructor Scheme accolades as part of the ￡105m Belfast Leisure Transformation Scheme.

When asked of what she enjoyed most about her apprenticeship, Annie said “I love being on site where no working day is the same! I enjoy the variety of projects within the construction industry and have always been intrigued how a project evolves from tender stage through to handover to our Clients. I enjoyed the ‘one team’ approach to project delivery to reach a common end goal and Heron Bros offer the opportunity to work alongside and learn from experienced engineers and senior management to gain a greater knowledge and understanding to grow and develop as an Engineer”.

Annie’s apprenticeship experience at Heron Bros has provided her with the perfect blend of hands-on experience and classroom studies, equipping her with a comprehensive understanding of the industry and prepared her for the next step in her education and career. “I am grateful for the opportunity that Heron Bros has provided and they have been incredibly supportive with my continual development to pursue my passion for civil engineering.” said Annie. “The construction industry is constantly evolving, and the digital revolution that Heron Bros have implemented has provided a completely innovative approach to my role and offering efficiencies that enable me to streamline my workday. Heron Bros are a great company to work for and I am excited to be a part of the wider digital revolution that will shape the future of construction!”.

Annie’s experience as an apprentice encouraged her to further her education at the University of Ulster where she graduated with a First Class Honours in BEng Civil Engineering in July 2021. In the future, her ultimate goal is to become a Chartered Civil Engineer.

“Annie’s dedication and commitment to the industry and her significant contributions to several Heron Bros projects, demonstrate the benefits of hiring apprenticeships.” said Gráinne O’Kane, Associate Director, HR & Legal at Heron Bros. “Apprenticeships are a vital part of our workforce development strategy. Apprenticeships provide us with a pipeline of skilled professional workers for the future and the Apprentices also bring fresh ideas and perspectives to our Heron team. As an Investors in People Platinum business, Heron Bros offer first-class professional experiences, the opportunity to “earn while you learn”, whilst gaining academic and professional qualifications in our unique Heron team environment. We are proud to be a part of the Apprentices’ journey. Heron Bros, Building A Better Future, Together”.