Building your future with Costain
An apprenticeship is a combination of employment and formally recognised training that is available to anyone aged sixteen or over who is not in full time education and is eligible to work in the UK.
As an apprentice you will study towards nationally recognised qualifications whilst working as a fully integrated member of the team, inputting and contributing alongside your colleagues.
Apprentices complete a programme of training which lasts from 12–60 months, depending on the level of study. We recruit for a wide number of different apprenticeships from administration and finance to civil engineering and materials technicians.
As part of your apprenticeship programme, you will undertake an End Point Assessment (EPA) where you will provide evidence of all you have learned during your programme. The EPA may take an additional 6-12 months after completion of formal training and can include final exam/assessment, presentation and interview.
Why choose an apprenticeship with Costain?
- You’ll work on some of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects across a variety of industry sectors.
- You ‘earn and learn’, starting with a competitive salary and two pay reviews a year whilst studying for your apprenticeship.
- You’ll work alongside experienced and supportive colleagues, all driven to see you succeed.
- A dedicated early careers team and local site support for apprentices.
- You’ll be part of a community of apprentices, all going through similar experiences, providing a network of peers to exchange learning with.
- You’ll be part of an exciting career development programme within one of the UK’s Most Admired Companies.
Our apprentice vacancies open from February through to April.
You will need to upload your CV and a covering letter online. It’s always a good idea to include a cover letter with your application as this gives us an insight into why you are applying, and the interests that have motivated you to seek an apprenticeship.
We understand that as an apprentice applicant you may not have a lot of work experience so it’s helpful to understand a bit more about who you are and your ambitions.
If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to attend either an interview or an assessment centre. This is a two-way conversation for you to understand more about us and vice versa.
How to prepare for an interview:
Your interview/assessment may be in person or virtual through media such as MS Teams or Zoom.
- Make sure you read about us and the areas we work in on our website, and that you have digested the information about the scheme you're applying for.
- Investigate the type of job you would be doing and research what‘s included in the apprenticeship. You can find lots of detail about apprenticeships here.
- Be sure to know what appeals to you about the role.
- Think about your own strengths, how they fit into the role (and Costain), and try to think of examples of how you have successfully used these strengths in the past.
- We want to see your energy, enthusiasm and passion for becoming a Costain apprentice, so make sure you show us your motivation for joining the programme.
- If your invite is for a virtual event, check your IT in advance to make sure your camera and audio are all in working order and ensure that you are on camera unless asked to do otherwise.
- If attending an in-person assessment centre, check you know how to get to the site and make sure you have plenty of time for the journey.
- Remember to bring everything you’re asked to bring with you on the day.
- Try to relax and be yourself, we want you to enjoy the day and to present the best version of you!
At offer stage we will ask you for a copy of your passport (or alternative identification) and any right to work documentation you may have.
From the point of receiving your offer, we’ll be in touch to support you through the pre-onboarding process and get you ready for your start date. You’ll be invited to our Early Careers Induction to meet your peers, giving you opportunity to start building your network and community before launching fully into the apprenticeship.
At the start of the programme, you’ll be registered with an external training provider who will deliver the academic element and formal certificates for the apprenticeship.
Training providers can be colleges, commercial training providers or universities. The training provider selected for your apprenticeship will depend on the discipline, the level of your apprenticeship and the delivery method most suitable for your location and needs.
Our early careers team will also support you as you join the business, transition into your new role and begin your training programme.
Exciting times await!