Tideway Tunnel ‘super sewer’ project scoops up its 100th apprentice

A student at East London University has become the 100th person to take up an apprenticeship on the massive Thames Tideway tunnel project.

Callum Davis, 18, has started a civil engineering apprenticeship on London’s ‘super sewer’ construction while studying for his Level 6 qualification at the univesity’s Beckton campus.

He is working on the east section between Tower Bridge and Limehouse.

“Learning while working is a career pathway for me,” he said. “The Tideway project is a chance to develop skills rapidly. I’m learning something new every day.”

Work on the ‘super sewer’ started in 2014, drilling beneath the riverbed from Barnes to the Isle of Dogs, the biggest expansion to London’s sewer network for 160 years.

The project now has one-in-50 jobs on apprenticeships in civil engineering, construction, boatmasters, business administration and digital engineering.

Tideway’s Scott Young explained: “Offering 100 apprenticeships so far is a milestone for us, helping create a future generation of construction workers. Some of our earliest apprentices have gone on to some of the biggest infrastructure projects, including HS2 and the Lower Thames Crossing.”

The Tideway apprenticeships range from intermediate, advanced and higher all the way to degree level. The company also funds the Thames Skills Academy, training the next raft of river workers and helping meet its target to transport 90 per cent of material during construction by river.