From Trainee to Apprentice to Management

Jed Josefson has been with Axis since he was 19 years old. With the help of our apprenticeship programme, alongside his own hard work and dedication, he’s made his way up from trainee to apprentice to management. We recently interviewed Jed to find out more about the path he took to get there…

Q: When did you join Axis and how did you hear about our apprenticeship programme?

Jed: I first started back in 2014 as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor, I then moved on to the apprenticeship and completed that with a full university degree in 2019. A year after that, I managed to get the promotion to Commercial Manager.

Q: What made you do an Apprenticeship in the first place?

Jed: Well, I was at a point in my life where I was considering different career paths. After school I didn’t have any A-levels so for me an apprenticeship was the best option. It was an opportunity for me to get a degree and also gain an income in a profession I saw a future in. I saw the advert online and applied straight away.

Q: Which was the main contract you worked on?

Jed: I started off working on City West contracts, after 2 years I worked on the Notting Hill contract, and 3 years later I now work in Heritage. A vast range but it’s given me the chance to work with a variety of different people learning things from each contract along the way.

Q: Describe your day-to-day experiences as an Apprentice?

Jed: I was at college one day of the week and the rest were either out on-site measuring or in the office.

Q: How did you benefit from ongoing support as an Apprentice?

Jed: My Line Manager was a great support for me, always helping me out, not only with questions I had while working on-site but also with any university work that I had. There were also other apprentices who were on the same level as me, we would help each other out and motivate one another to do our best.

Q: What was the highlight of your apprenticeship and the most challenging aspect of it?

Jed: The highlight was the feeling I got once I had completed my studies, knowing that my hard work paid off. The most challenging part was probably getting my head around how buildings were actually contracted. It wasn’t something that I learnt at school, so I had to start from the very basics right up to the more complex aspects of construction.

Q: How has an Apprenticeship with Axis helped your career and what made you stay at Axis?

Jed: Axis gave me job security. I lived locally and I got on with everyone in the team, from the Directors to the Line Managers – everyone felt like family and friends rather than work colleagues. I saw a future at Axis and the apprenticeship gave me the qualifications I needed. I wouldn’t be in the role I am in today without it.

Q: Looking back, what advice would you give to others who are considering doing an apprenticeship?

Jed: I’d say if you need any information or are worried about not knowing something, ask for help. I’d also say to crack on with the educational side of things and don’t leave things to the last minute!

If you’re interested in taking an apprenticeship with Axis, read our Work Inspiration brochure here. Or find more stories from trainee to apprentice, here.