Apprentice Awards – meet the candidates

Russell WBHO Construction Director John Millward heads up the Building Student programme.

He nominated Tom and Lizzie.

Tom – Apprentice of the Year Award (Construction)

Throughout his apprenticeship Tom has impressed with his drive and focus for learning, both on site and at university. He has been entrusted with managing aspects of a number of packages worth in excess of £4 million at the Municipal Buildings project Liverpool a £30m heritage restoration of a Grade II* listed building. These include the staircase refurbishment and lift installation works and the Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment  package, monitoring and tracking the progress of the installation and forecasting works to properly manage the time and activity of the installation team.

Using a tracker, which he monitors and updates daily, Tom proactively manages subcontractors short term programmes to complete rooms to ensure they are ready for the FF&E deliveries. Management trusts Tom to snag the FF&E to a good standard and manage the subcontractor snagging programme. He is able to resolve issues efficiently and effectively and is already a vital and trusted member of the team.

Tom is committed to progressing his knowledge and takes a proactive approach to his day-to-day job with great time management and actively seeking new tasks. All his work to date has been to a high standard and he is a very dedicated young professional who will succeed in the Construction industry whatever route he decides to take.

Tom as described by his colleagues: Enthusiastic and Industrious

Lizzie – Apprentice Ambassador

Although only in to her second year as an apprentice, Lizzie has already built a solid reputation across several departments for her bright personality, willingness to get involved and the meticulous quality of the work she produces. Her work ethic, talent and team attitude are helping to change attitudes towards apprentices, as she proves the value an apprentice can bring to a team.

Lizzie has also been keenly involved in several social value projects, covering charity and community activities, and promoting both Women in Construction and Construction Apprenticeships. She helped plan and deliver a Women In Construction event for the girls of St James Catholic High School, engaging an audience which traditionally might not consider this route. And she was heavily involved in organising, fundraising and volunteering for food banks around Liverpool.

Lizzie has never shied away from a learning opportunity and has been noted at the very highest levels for her commitment to learn not only the basics, but also the nuances of each particular aspect of construction. From the start her drive to learn became apparent when, having studies subject material before her apprenticeship began, Lizzie surprised everyone with some very insightful and in-depth observations.

Lizzie as described by her colleagues: Meticulous, Adaptable, Dedicated, Devoted

Andrew Walker, Russell WBHO Commercial Manager helps to oversee the Building Student programme.

He nominated George and Isabelle.

George – Ambassador  of the Year award

A Building Student  with Russell WBHO for four years, George was an Assistant QS on the Oxygen Towers project where he managed several packages. He puts full effort and concentration into excelling in everything he does, and it is testament to his abilities that most members of the team assumed he was a fully qualified Quantity Surveyor.

Even while working on a busy site he still finds time to share his knowledge with the Y1 & 2 students, making himself available to talk through personal and professional issues. He sets a perfect example to the younger student and is an excellent role model. He ensures the  apprentices working with him understand their tasks, and offers support when necessary, further developing their knowledge.

A well-liked and respected member of the team, George extends that dedication to the football pitch and never misses the company’s Monday night football, and last year helped organise a charity football match.

George as described by his colleagues: Conscientious, Meticulous, Industrious

Isabelle – Rising Star Award

Since joining Russell WBHO in 2020, Isabelle has worked predominantly on the Municipal Buildings project in Liverpool where she has impressed managers on her Site Engineering, Site Management and Quantity Surveying rotations. She has supported with pre-construction and bid work, and was entrusted with managing QS packages in her second year and given further QS packages to manage in her third year.

During her time working with the Health and Safety department, Isabelle recognised a need for health and safety training specifically designed for the commercial staff. In conjunction with Head of Health and Safety Darren Williams, Isabelle is currently developing a one-day internal training course to inform commercial staff of how they can input into successful H&S plans and to better understand their specific health and safety obligations.

This training will soon be rolled out across the company and delivered to all the commercial team and will assist in their completion of their RICS accreditation.

Isabelle performs extremely well at University, consistently obtaining high grades. She recently completed her gold Duke of Edinburgh accreditation and was presented with the award by Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace. As only 8% of those who start their DoE complete it to Gold standard, this further demonstrates Isabelle’s commitment and determination to success. She has also taken part in a number of volunteer programmes including assisting sick pilgrims at Lourdes in France, and organising a volunteer week with a food bank in Liverpool.

Isabelle described by her colleagues: Intelligent, Willing, Quick Witted, Selfless

Good luck to all four at the awards event this evening.