National Careers Week is an important opportunity to highlight the wide range of career opportunities available in the construction and ground engineering industry.
The week is about showcasing the variety of career routes. By sharing the experiences of people at different stages in their careers, from apprentices and graduates to managers and directors, we aim to demonstrate that there is no single route into construction and ground engineering, and that both men and women can thrive in roles across our business.
Here, six Van Elle employees share their journeys, offering insight into the range of roles available and how careers can grow and evolve within our company.
Debbie, Apprentice Civil Engineer
Debbie joined Rock & alluvium, eager to gain hands-on experience and learn on site.
“Applying what I’ve learned at university and in the office to real projects has been incredibly rewarding. Visiting site for the first time and observing concrete trials and construction in progress really brought engineering to life and showed how design, testing and site teams work together. Being supported by an experienced team has helped build my confidence, and I’m excited to see how much I continue to develop.”
Nils, Graduate
Nils joined the graduate programme to combine his degree with practical experience and recently graduated with a first-class honours degree.
“Completing my five-year apprenticeship in 2025 and achieving a First Class Honours in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management has been a proud milestone. Alongside technical knowledge in cost management and contracts, I’ve developed essential skills through project experience. The apprenticeship gave me the confidence to take on greater responsibility and laid the foundations for my career in ground engineering.”
Richard Brown, HSE Advisor
Starting as an operative in our production team, Rich progressed into quality management and later joined the HSQE team, gaining experience across multiple areas of the business.
“My advice to others is to keep a positive attitude and be willing to learn every day. My time in production taught me the value of teamwork and helped me put learning into practice. Completing SSSTS sparked my interest in health and safety, which led me to progress to SMSTS and begin my career in HSQE, showing that putting yourself forward for opportunities can really shape your future.”
Gareth Griffiths, Contracts Manager
Gareth moved from site work to an office-based role, bringing practical knowledge into contract management.
“Starting on site as a second man and progressing into contract management has given me a strong understanding of how projects work. Having experienced site challenges first-hand helps me plan jobs more effectively and support teams in the right way. My advice to new starters is to use your site experience to set projects up properly, your role is to make the job easier for the people delivering it.”
Daniel Smith, Senior Contracts Engineer
Dan joined the housing team as a Setting Out Engineer and later moved from site to an office-based role, bringing practical knowledge into contract management.
“Starting out on site as a Setting Out Engineer has shaped the way I approach contract management today. Experiencing first-hand how programmes shift, drawings change, and small issues can escalate quickly taught me to review contracts and scopes with a practical, real-world mindset, not just what works on paper. That experience now guides me to prioritise clarity, early risk management, and realistic planning, ensuring commercial decisions support delivery rather than hinder it.”
Scott Mills, Operations Director – General Piling
Scott joined Van Elle in 2009 and has since progressed into leadership, showing the value of diverse skills.
“I started my career at Van Elle on site as a pump operator, learning the job from the ground up. Over time, I worked across multiple roles, from testing and ground investigation through to contract management, gaining a broad understanding of both operations and people. That experience has been invaluable in my role today as Operations Director, helping me support our teams and build strong relationships with colleagues and clients. Coming in at grassroots level allowed me to build strong relationships and gain hands-on experience that still shapes how I lead today”.
“My advice to anyone starting out is simple: be honest, work hard, stay safe and never shy away from a challenge. Most importantly, never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself.”
At Van Elle, we are proud to take part, sharing the stories of our employees to inspire, inform, and encourage discussion about the diverse paths a career with us can take.