30 October 2025
AJ hails apprenticeships as a perfect way to start career
D-Drill & Sawing managing director Julie White is passionate about bringing through the next generation of workforce in the construction industry. So much so, that Julie was recently appointed onto the Government’s Construction Skills Mission Board.
In this regular feature on the D-Drill website, The Real Apprentice – You Are Hired, Julie has been catching up with apprentices in the industry both within D-Drill and at other companies in the sector to show the breadth of careers on offer – with hundreds of jobs in the industry!
AJ Satchithanantham is the first member of his family to go into construction and is loving life as a Level 4 Automation and Control (Water) apprentice with Tilbury Douglas – one of the UK’s leading building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out companies. So much so, that he’d encourage any youngster to look at an apprenticeship in the industry as their route into an exciting career.
AJ said: “I always wanted to do engineering, and I found out that the construction industry offered a lot of engineering apprenticeships. I applied and got accepted onto this one with Tilbury Douglas, which is amazing.
“I’m studying at Farnborough College of Technology. At the moment I go once a week, but that may increase closer to my end-point assessment. The apprenticeship lasts two years, followed by a six-month assessment period.
“My apprenticeship is in automation and control, which is closely linked to electrical engineering but focuses on monitoring and controlling instruments on site.
“For example, we ensure that all the machinery and process in a treatment plant run smoothly and automatically, we also make sure the water gets treated correctly and efficiently. Nobody wants dirty water!
“It applies to other industries too, like production lines where systems need to be automated and monitored. But most of my day-to-day work right now is in sewage treatment.
“I am currently working on water infrastructure projects across sites in Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley region. The aim is to improve efficiency and capacity, either by expanding sites or upgrading existing equipment to handle growing demand.
“For example, on one project in Witney, we built new tanks and are upgrading other parts on site so the site can handle more flow.”
“So, what we do is really important work both for the country’s economy and for people in their day-to-day lives.
“I enjoy being an apprentice because I’m more of a hands-on learner. Sitting in a classroom for hours just doesn’t suit my personality and, with an apprenticeship, I get real experience, learn directly from people on site, and I’m paid while doing it. It’s perfect!
“I’ve also got mentors and site teams who are happy to share their knowledge with me, which has been really helpful and is as good as anything you can learn in a classroom.
“I’m the first in my family to go into construction. My mum is my inspiration and role model. She’s always encouraged me to pursue what I enjoy and supported my choices. She was really happy I chose an apprenticeship in this industry because it means I can potentially get a degree without the debt.
“My plan is to eventually progress onto a Level 6 electro - mechanical engineering degree apprenticeship at university. That way I’ll earn a degree while continuing to work and that feels right for me.
“I just love meeting different people, working on different sites, and learning by doing. And yes, of course, the money helps too!
“So, my advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship in construction is to go for it. There are so many reasons why I would say that but earning, learning and meeting so many great people would be top of the list.”
Julie’s thoughts: “When I started this series of interviews, I wanted to show the breadth of opportunities we have in the construction industry and really get people to see why an apprenticeship is such a great choice to begin a career.
“AJ has summed that up perfectly and it is great to see that he’s had the encouragement from his role model mum to go for it.
“That’s not always the case as so many of our 16 to 18-year-olds are encouraged to follow a path into A-Levels and then university. There’s nothing wrong with that route, but it’s not for everyone and AJ has articulated exactly why an apprenticeship in construction is such a great choice to make!”
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