DCG Success Stories

Newly Qualified CAD technician Jensen Stanley is enjoying his permanent role with FP McCann, the UK’s largest manufacturer and supplier of precast concrete solutions.  

Jensen, 21, completed his Level Three Civil Engineering – Construction Support Technician apprenticeship via Derby College Group earlier this year, achieving a double distinction.  

He is now based in the company’s structures department, which includes culverts and tanks, and is working with design systems such as Tekla Structures. 

 He said: “I went to Derby College straight from school to take a full-time Level Two engineering course.  

“I enjoyed the computer aided design side, so my engineering lecturer, Trevor Berry, suggested I consider a career in CAD as it offers good money and good prospects. 

“We looked at the national apprenticeship website and agreed I should apply for the CAD apprentice role at FP McCann as the company has good progression opportunities and uses good CAD systems.” 

Jensen is one of two DCG Level Three apprentices to recently complete the two-year programme and be taken on by the business.  

Both he and former fellow student Joshua Kalema are based at FP McCann’s Weston Underwood site, although Joshua now works as an estimator on the quantity surveying side of the precast concrete business.  

Jensen, whose work is mainly office-based, is currently working on several commercial and private design projects across the UK for precast culverts and attenuation tanks.  

He added: “I’m pleased to have moved to the culverts department as I get to work on more complex infrastructure projects and use sophisticated design systems.  

“We have a couple of projects which we are due to complete in the new year, so we’re currently working to tight deadlines.”  

Jensen is keen to take his career further and hopes to study for a civil engineering degree through his employer.  

He said: “My focus is on progressing to higher education but ultimately, I’d quite like to work in engineering design or architecture.  

“The great thing about engineering is that it opens so many potential routes into different careers.  

“Thanks to my industry experience, I can see what these different job roles entail day to day and understand how they work with others to create a successful design, manufacture, and construction project.”