Meet Louis, 20, from Derbyshire, to find out more about life as an apprentice at a company called Aggregate Industries that mines materials to make buildings and roads. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
Louis:
My name's Louis, I'm 20 years old, and I'm a mineral products apprentice. Here at the quarry, we look for minerals. Minerals are naturally forming substances found in the ground. The main mineral that we look for here is limestone. This limestone started to form 350 million years ago and is older than the dinosaurs. Limestone is calcium carbonate and here we use it to make cement. Cement is used in all sorts of things such as buildings, bridges, and roads. Every year, we dig up 1.2 million tonnes of limestone from this quarry. I always knew throughout school that university was not the right choice for me. So I took a year out to explore all the different options that were available to me. I worked abroad in the kitchen, I worked as a magician's apprentice, I worked as a cave guide and, despite doing a variety of jobs, none of them felt right. But then I started reading more about apprenticeships, where I discovered my current opportunity. I'm currently studying a Mineral Products Technology foundation degree. I found this opportunity on the website and I saw an industry where I could make a real difference.
Adam, quarry manager:
Hiya, my name's Adam. I'm the quarry manager here at Cauldon. In the 18 months that Louis has been on this site, he's brought lots of new ideas and a fresh pair of eyes into the industry. One of the ideas that Louis has brought in has benefited the whole of the business.
Louis:
The greatest contribution I've made to the business so far throughout my apprenticeship is introducing a bit of software that's being rolled out throughout the whole UK. Variety is one of the best parts of this job. No day is the same and each day I'm learning something new. One day I'll be doing a blast in a quarry and the next day I'll be seeing how roads are laid and then the next day I'll be seeing how concrete is made.
I never thought that, when applying for my job a year and a half ago, I'd be managing my own projects and travelling the UK. I'm incredibly proud of what I do I love my job.
"The minerals industry was completely unknown to me and it's been really exciting learning about it."
- Minerals are natural substances that can be found in the Earth's crust
- They play a big role in the construction industry and Louis is responsible for helping companies get the materials they need to build roads and buildings
- Louis enjoyed school – particularly Science and Geography– and missed learning when he left college, which led him to consider an apprenticeship.
A similar role to Louis’ is a quarry engineer. Quarry engineers explore new sites, oversee extraction operations and manage sites at the end of their commercial life.
What to expect if you want to be a quarry engineer
- Quarry engineer average salary: £28,000 to £52,000 per year
- Quarry engineer typical working hours: 37 to 40 hours per week
What qualifications do you need to be a quarry engineer?
You could get into this role via a university course or a degree apprenticeship. You'll usually need one or two A-levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma and two to three A-levels, or equivalent, for a degree. You'll usually need four to five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A to C) and A-levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship. Alternatives to A-levels include taking a T-level (England-only), which is equivalent to three A-levels. Check with your course provider which alternative qualifications they accept.*
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service,
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the for the latest information and all the qualifications needed and the for more on T-levels.
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