Steven Kovacs is currently in the end-point assessment stage of his Engineering Surveyor apprenticeship. After realising he wasn’t reaching his full potential in his previous career, Steven took a leap into an industry he hadn’t previously considered and hasn’t looked back. From mastering technical inspections to building confidence on site, his story shows how apprenticeships can open the door to fulfilling, long-term careers at any stage of life.
What motivated your business to start an apprenticeship scheme and what benefits has it brought?
I was getting the feeling I was not reaching my potential in my previous job. I was introduced to this career by a friend as is the same for many people within this field. I had never heard of the position, and he told me about the company, the values and the people within the company. Hearing how highly he spoke about the job and how passionately he spoke about the engineering, respect and freedom that is gained – it sounded like the perfect fit.
What was the first task you were really proud to complete during your apprenticeship?
I remember my first completed lift inspection with my mentor watching over. I was proud when he said I was successful because the lifts seemed to be this big scary item that I knew nothing about and was completely different from my previous career.
What’s something you learned here that you didn’t expect at the start?
I have learnt many things that I picked up just in conversation within the cohort. Just talking to people that have backgrounds in the different trades associated with the plant we examine really prepared me for the field training.
How has your confidence or mindset changed from day one to now?
My confidence has greatly increased, not only in my technical ability, but also in my conversational, problem solving and admin skills. You really need to take charge of your daily operations from planning your site visits, contacting customers and having hard conversations about defects.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known before you started the apprenticeship?
I wish I knew about the Engineer Surveyor apprenticeship and applied sooner as I feel I have missed out on time and could have been gaining experience and knowledge in a profession I cannot see myself leaving.
What support from your employer or mentor has helped you most?
The biggest support I have received from the company, mentor and cohort is they will always answer the phone. You can sometimes feel like you’re on your own when out on sites, but you have such a great network around you that advice can be received from so many people.
How have you balanced theory and practical learning — what works best for you?
I feel I learn better hands on. The apprenticeship layout has a good balance of practical working provided by the company and theory based learning provided by the college, so you can put what you learn in the class out to the real world.
What technical skill do you feel most confident in now, and how did you build it?
I found that I have built a methodical routine in my examinations that ensure I have covered all necessary components in the most efficient manner. This only comes with time and learning the vast amount of items and plant we examine.
Is there an aspect of the technical training that surprised you once you saw it in the field?
The sheer amount of variation between plant, modes of operation, size and power of the different items we examine. It can be a little daunting. Although, even with such a variety, we still bring it back to the engineering fundamentals and adapt to the other challenges
Where do you see yourself in the next to to five years?
As there is so much growth within the business, this is such a great opportunity for my own development and I would like to build me experience as an engineer surveyor and position myself for a future managerial role.
If you could mentor a new apprentice tomorrow, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give?
Make sure you build relationships with your mentor, managers and cohort because they are the ones that you will call on to get you over the line to become an engineer surveyor. And don’t be afraid to ask questions, it’s really important that you understand the information.
What’s one thing that you think every apprentice should know before starting?
Someone looking at becoming an engineer surveyor apprentice should research the different machinery and environments they will be working with. There will be working at heights. The surveyor also has legal standings and obligations, these should not be taken lightly. They should also be confident that they can perform to high standard in some challenging conditions.
If you could change one thing about how apprenticeships are perceived in our industry, what would it be?
Apprenticeships have no age barriers. You could be at any point in your current career and need or want a change. This apprenticeship was the gateway to the career I wanted to pursue, and I have not regretted it at all.
Find out more about Allianz Engineering Inspection Services.
Interested in an apprenticeship? Take a look at the Lift Careers site for details on companies hiring apprentices.
