A coffee with… Stuart Megahy for Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Article posted on: 4 March 2024

Our ‘A coffee with…’ series allows us to gain more information about our colleagues’ unique and individual experiences at Clancy. In this edition, we were able to speak to one of our apprentices at the Glasgow office, Stuart Megahy, just in time for Scottish Apprenticeship Week! 

Scottish Apprenticeship Week is a celebration of the benefits that young people experience when undertaking an apprenticeship. It runs from the 4th to the 8th of March this year. Throughout the week there are several support and education events held across Scotland, which celebrate apprentices and aim to raise awareness of opportunities for people who may wish to complete an apprenticeship in the future.

Here at Clancy, we value being able to give the experience of work-based learning. In the last 11 years we have hired 24 apprentices, the decision to do so driven by our commitment to making a long-lasting difference in the industry by raising the next generation of engineers. All of our apprentices benefit from one-to-one training with experienced professionals. We are proud to have been recognised for our dedication to training and development with the Investor’s in People Silver Award.

Meet Stuart

Stuart Megahy is currently 31-years old and has worked as a Structural Engineering Technician at Clancy since 2019. He joined with experience in timber frame design and detailing having worked in the industry for eight years prior. He officially started his BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering at Heriot-Watt University in September 2020 and is due to graduate from his degree apprenticeship in June this year. Currently on day release, he attends university one day a week whilst working the other four.

When speaking to Stuart about his views on work-based learning he admitted that it has not been an easy challenge, especially with two young children at home, however he said that he has had the full support of his line manager who has been more than happy to help with any issues that he has encountered. Stuart also stated that academia and industry are two completely different worlds, working whilst earning his degree has helped show how the skills that he learns at university translate into the real working world.

Throughout his time at Clancy, Stuart has worked on multiple high profile projects including Crossbasket Hotel for Eco Contruction Scotland. On the scheme Stuart and his team are providing specialist timber kit design for a new accommodation block, allowing for 40 additional bedrooms. They’re also designing the timber infill panels to the steelwork in a new bar and restaurant area. The expansion will include two five-bedroom eco-friendly cottages and two spa cottages with three treatment rooms. The project is due to complete in summer 2024.

When asked about what he enjoys about working at Clancy, Stuart said that he really enjoys helping the junior members of staff to advance their understanding of timber design. He also enjoys engaging with clients and producing the most efficient design solutions to exceed their expectations. Stuart also mentioned that he looks forward to the annual Clancy summer party, an event which brings together all staff and their families to celebrate our dedicated team. The gathering also serves as a great opportunity for staff from across our 10 UK offices to meet with colleagues based in other locations.

Questions and answers

Best advice or tips for someone considering an apprenticeship or degree apprenticeship?

If you want to do it, then do it. It is a lot of work but should hopefully be worth it. For someone prepared to take on a lot of work, along with the commitment to undertake self-learning.

What are your long-term goals and how do you plan to work towards them during your apprenticeship?

My long term goal is to become a chartered engineer. During the apprenticeship, I have been working towards my learning outcomes by gaining as much experience as possible in different areas of the business. I hope that Clancy will continue to support me in achieving this and recognising the hard work I have been putting in to achieve my graduate apprenticeship with the encouragement from senior engineers at Clancy.