Picture this - Henry snaps the A63 during Highways and Construction Work Experience Week

During Highways and Construction Work Experience Week (4 to 8 July 2022) we worked with our supply chain to share opportunities in the construction industry for those wanting to gain technical or engineering skills in the sector. 

Work experience offers young people the opportunity to learn new skills while exploring work place culture and career options; Henry recently joined one of our Film and Photography Managers on location to explore his own interest in photography and digital media. Part of the work we do involves keeping customers informed and engaged at consultation events, through news releases and social media stories.  We regularly photograph or film parts of the road network before maintenance or major projects begin, so we can share images with customers and stakeholders. 

Henry explained 

"After being introduced to Gavin, Film & Photography Assistant Manager at National Highways, we went straight into action. The first job of the day was to build a set for a talking head segment of a video. This was a great experience as I learnt a lot about how to overcome challenges such as poor lighting and how to work with a subject. After filming the talking head, I was taught how to take interior photographs of the new office space in Leeds. This again was a brilliant learning experience as I am usually taking photos of landscapes. From the first day I saw how relaxed and calm the offices were at National Highways. Everyone you met had a smile on their face and looked like they enjoyed working for the company. This was something I did not expect going into a working office for the first time.

On the second day I was to become familiar with a professional grade camera as we were taking photos of the A63 that is currently going through a maintenance programme. In-between stops at locations Gavin was giving me lots of valuable life advice along with telling me about how he started photography. From this day I gained understanding how important it is to plan your photo shoots to maximise efficiency and production quality. Along with being told how important people skills are in his job.

On my final day we set off early to take photos of the M621 during rush hour. This was due to work starting on it at the beginning of August. After arriving back in the office and having lunch we started to edit the weeks work. This required sifting through the photos to find the good ones and then adjusting them. Whilst using the editing software I was enlightened by Gavin how to store photos in a way that improves workflow and efficiency. Something that I had learnt is an important skill in his line of work. After finishing the editing, I was honoured to have such an experienced photographer look through my portfolio. He gave me many pieces of advice on how to improve along with some compliments on the way. This inspired me even more to keep on photographing and pursue my ambitions in life.

I would like to thank National Highways and Gavin for giving me the privilege of joining their team for my work experience. It was an extremely useful and valued experience, and I learnt a lot from it."

Highways and Construction Work Experience Week takes place each year. Registrations open in May for those interested in accessing work experience and virtual events. You can keep up to date with these opportunities and other learning events by following National Highways Yorkshire on Facebook.