Companies across the infrastructure sector are championing new careers as National Apprenticeship Week gets underway.

The week-long celebration – running from 9-15 February - brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

The government has also announced young people across the country are to benefit from a clearer path into apprenticeships, as the prime minister Keir Starmer vowed to “unlock opportunities for young people across the country”. 

New pilots to match ‘near miss’ applicants with similar apprenticeship opportunities in their area is set to be rolled out later this year. A new online platform will give young people clear, accessible information about apprenticeships and career outcomes and an overhaul to the skills system comes as government looks to put apprenticeships on a level footing with university degrees.

With major investment across the water sector, Thames Water has opened applications for 145 apprenticeships, offering potential candidates and career changers the opportunity to build long term careers in essential water and wastewater services. 

All Thames Water apprentices are guaranteed employment once they successfully complete their qualification with roles available in areas such as  engineering, project management, finance, laboratory science and repair and maintenance.

Research by Thames Water has found that 75% of young people aged 16-25 in London and the Thames Valley believe apprenticeships are more beneficial than attending university; however nearly half of those surveyed (43%) were concerned they were too old for an apprenticeship.

Thames Water’s apprenticeships have no upper age limit, and the company is encouraging applications from a wide range of backgrounds, including those changing careers.  It is also hosting a webinar for potential on Wednesday 11 February from 5-6pm.

Karima Khandker, director of resourcing, skills, EDI, learning and development at Thames Water, said: “Our purpose is to deliver life’s essential service, and we know prospective candidates increasingly want careers which contribute to their local community, help the environment, and provide valuable hands-on experience. Our apprenticeships are designed to do just that.   

“As we embark on the biggest upgrade to our network in 150 years, we’re looking for people who want to help us make a real difference for our customers and the environment. Whether you’re just starting out or seeking a new direction, there has never been a better time to join the water industry. Every apprentice who qualifies is guaranteed a job with us, and we’re excited to welcome our 2026 cohort.” 

Hollie Cook, is a higher mechanical engineering apprentice, is now in her fourth year of a five-year degree apprenticeship with Thames Water. She said:  “When I joined Thames Water straight from college, I knew I wanted a hands-on career where I could learn on the job, earn a salary, and avoid student debt, and my apprenticeship has given me exactly that.

“I love how many opportunities there are across the business, from engineering to business improvement, and how supportive the company is in helping me balance my degree with fulltime work. I’ll soon be stepping into the engineering world with both a qualification and five years of real experience behind me, and I’m really glad I chose this route.”

HS2 is searching for more talented young people to help support the delivery of Britain's high-speed railway, with more than 30 apprenticeship vacancies going live.

Earlier this year, HS2 announced that the project had exceeded its goal of creating 2,000 apprenticeships – a target that was set before construction started.

Mohammed Sharif, a civil engineering trainee from Birmingham, was crowned the 2,000th apprentice to join the project.

Despite hitting the target, more people are being given the opportunity carve out new careers via the huge infrastructure project.  As National Apprenticeship Week 2026 gets underway, recruitment has opened for 34 apprenticeship and 16 graduate roles across the project.

Five apprentices will join the project controls and commercial teams within HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for building the railway, with opportunities based in Birmingham and London.

In addition, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), HS2’s West Midlands construction partner, is recruiting for 26 apprentices across a broad range of business areas. Site-based roles include construction quantity surveyors, civil engineers, materials technicians and geospatial technicians. There will also be opportunities to join BBV’s health and safety, procurement, information management and data analyst teams at its headquarters and satellite offices along the route of the railway.

In London, HS2’s construction partners have announced they are recruiting three new apprentices. Mace Dragados is beginning the search for a logistics apprentice, while Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA – the joint venture building Old Oak Common Station – is recruiting for roles in civil engineering and quantity surveying.

Skanska Costain STRABAG, HS2’s construction partner for the Euston approaches, will be boosting its workforce with 15 new apprentices. Recruitment for the vacancies, which include apprenticeships in engineering, project controls, IT and commercial, will launch later this month.

Rebecca Young, HS2’s head of skills, inclusion and supply chain, said:  “We welcomed our very first cohort of HS2 apprentices back in 2017, so this year marks our tenth annual intake. 

“Hitting the 2,000-apprentice milestone was a huge achievement not just for HS2, but the country as a whole, as we strive to create a specialist talent pool that will deliver the UK’s major infrastructure projects of the future.”

In January, HS2 published data showing that it had welcomed 2,032 new apprentice starts to date on the project. Apprenticeships are proving to be a popular choice for sixth form and college leavers. However, with no upper age limit, HS2 also welcomes applications from individuals looking for a change of career direction.

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is marking National Apprenticeship Week 2026 by celebrating the impact being made by its investment in local skills, careers and talent.

The programme has supported 455 apprenticeships since its inception, placing it on track to achieve its target of 590 by the end of its life cycle. Of those total apprenticeships, 307 are classed as new starts, meaning their role in TRU is their first career job.

Alice Smith, 25, joined TRU as a corporate responsibility and sustainability apprentice in September 2023, after moving to Leeds for university. Following a successful two-and-a-half years, she completed her apprenticeship and is now an associate sponsor for the programme.

“It’s a big misconception that you have to be 16 or 18 to do this. I came out of the apprenticeship in a unique way. I have a history degree and was 23 when I started my apprenticeship, so anyone can do one.”

There have been 86 apprenticeships classed as upskills, where someone already working on the programme has decided to take an apprenticeship course to develop further. TRU’s commitment to apprenticeships also saw the programme play a founding role in the PlanBEE Rail scheme, a higher apprenticeship programme designed to recruit and develop the next generation of project managers.

The initiative, developed by Network Rail, its supply chain partners, NSAR and Gateshead College, sees apprentices rotate around four different employers across a two-year programme, giving them options to work on a variety of different rail projects across the North. TRU has supported 22 apprenticeships on the PlanBEE Rail programme.

David Bassett, apprentice and graduate programmes manager for TRU, said: “National Apprenticeship Week always serves as the perfect time to recognise the impact our apprentices are making on TRU, but the wider rail industry as a whole, given the scope of the programme.

“Apprenticeships are embedded in almost every facet of the programme and are integral to our day-to-day operations. The number of apprenticeships TRU has supported and our commitment to schemes like PlanBEE Rail show the trust we are placing in people embarking on their career journeys.”

 For more information on National Apprenticeship Week, click here