Joe Beaven has designs on becoming a Technical Director after being named Bellway’s Apprentice of the Year 2025.
The 20-year-old, from Chelmsford, joined the housebuilder as a technical apprentice after leaving school with A levels in geography, psychology and law.
“It is fantastic to be selected for this coveted award,” said Joe. “I didn’t even know I had been nominated so to win was a wonderful surprise in every way. To be singled out for this accolade at such a prestigious company as Bellway proves to me that I made the right decision to join the company straight from school.”
Joe said that he did not know which career he wanted to pursue after finishing his A level exams.
“What I did know was that I didn’t want to go to university for another three years in the classroom, with the likelihood of a debt at the end of it and no guarantee of a job,” he said. “I actively searched for apprenticeships as I wanted to be paid but also to be working towards a qualification.
“I identified construction as a dynamic industry with a variety of roles in different disciplines. I have an analytical brain and enjoy interpreting information and trying to problem solve, so I applied for an apprenticeship position in the technical team at Bellway Essex. I have been with the company for nearly two and a half years and it’s the best decision I ever made.”
Joe joined the technical team at Bellway’s Essex division and has been based at its divisional headquarters in Chelmsford since he started in September 2022.
He recently attained a BTEC Level 3 qualification in construction and the built environment after two years of online studying with tutor Sarah White at the Learning and Skills Partnership, working in the office four days a week alongside his studies.
Joe is due to be accepted as an associate member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and is in the process of completing his final assessment to qualify as an assistant technical co-ordinator at Bellway.
Since joining Bellway Essex, Joe has been assisting and shadowing his professional mentor, Senior Technical Manager Gary Boyle.
“Gary has been fantastic with me from day one,” he said. “He made me feel very welcome, insisted that I ask lots of questions and told me to always make sure that I understood what we were doing and if I didn’t, to stop and tell him. I have learned so much thanks to Gary’s encouragement, patience and extensive knowledge base.
“In this team we have to help manage the technical aspects of a project from start to finish and to liaise with a variety of different departments and consultants. This means that we are not just office based and I like the fact that we get out onto the site to actually assess whether everything is going according to plan and if it’s not, then suggest a way forward.
“I also really appreciated being allocated a ‘buddy’ who helped me settle in at a new workplace with new colleagues. My buddy was Kyle Millsom, an assistant technical co-ordinator, who was just a few years older than me and had been in a similar position. It was good to be able to work alongside him and to be able to discuss with him any issues I had.”
Steve Saville, Technical Director at Bellway Essex, said: “Joe is a shining example of someone who has flourished after taking on an apprenticeship role and is forging a promising career in the industry with Bellway.
“He is an engaging and popular young man who has impressed everyone with his enthusiasm for the role and his incredible diligence and attention to detail. His willingness to help and learn has impressed colleagues in other departments, some of whom nominated him for this award.
“Joe’s intelligence and dedication has seen him not only finish his study course but graduate with a double distinction. All in all, he is a very worthy winner of the title of Apprentice of the Year and we look forward to supporting him so that he can go on to achieve his full potential.”
