Apprentice of the Month - September
September Apprentice of the Month: Kian Smith
We are delighted to announce that Kian Smith from Costain has been named our September Apprentice of the Month, following two fantastic nominations from LSP Tutor, Michael, and Support Coach, Diane.
Kian Smith from Costain, LSP Apprentice of the Month, recognised for outstanding academic performance, professional development and increasing responsibility.
This award recognises apprentices who consistently go above and beyond in their role, demonstrate outstanding commitment to their learning, and make a meaningful contribution to their employer. Kian has done exactly that, impressing both Michael and Diane through his academic excellence, professional development, independence and growing contribution to the construction industry.
Michael began his nomination by recognising Kian's exceptional approach to learning and his ability to look beyond simply completing his qualification, demonstrating a genuine desire to understand the wider construction industry and apply his knowledge to real-world situations.
“I would like to nominate Kian Smith for Apprentice of the Month because he consistently demonstrates the academic ability, professional attitude, independence and commitment to development that I believe represent an outstanding construction apprentice.
Kian is one of my strongest learners and has consistently demonstrated that he is not simply interested in completing his qualification; he wants to understand the construction industry and apply what he learns to genuine industry situations.”
One particularly impressive example of Kian's academic achievement was his recent work for Unit 23: Construction Economics and Sustainability, where he achieved an overall Distinction, meeting all Pass, Merit and Distinction assessment criteria. His work demonstrated an excellent ability to connect academic theory with the commercial, technical and operational challenges involved in delivering major infrastructure projects.
Michael highlighted the quality of Kian's assignment, which focused on significant infrastructure developments:
“Kian based his work around major infrastructure examples including the HS2 Marston Box and Delta Junction Viaducts, which was particularly appropriate given his employment with Costain. His work showed he could connect academic theory with the commercial, technical, and operational realities of major infrastructure construction.”
What stood out to Michael was not simply the quality of Kian's work, but the depth of understanding he demonstrated. Rather than just describing construction processes, Kian explored how different aspects of a project are interconnected, showing an increasingly comprehensive understanding of the decisions that influence successful project delivery.
Michael explained:
“Kian’s final assessment did not simply describe construction processes. He connected design, quantities, cost, programme, inflation, procurement, and project risk, demonstrating an increasingly holistic understanding of how decisions in one area of a construction project affect another.
His work included detailed consideration of Bills of Quantities, an eight-week construction programme, economic influences on construction, and procurement through a Two-Stage Design and Build approach. At the higher assessment levels, Kian demonstrated strong analytical and evaluative ability, particularly when considering the relationship between economic conditions, procurement strategy, cost, programme and risk.”
Alongside his academic ability, Kian has demonstrated an impressive commitment to continuous improvement. He understands the importance of acting on feedback, strengthening his knowledge and taking responsibility for the quality of his work. This willingness to reflect, improve and aim higher has played an important role in his success.
Michael praised Kian's approach to developing his work, explaining:
“Kian’s formative Unit 23 submission was already of a very strong standard, with most assessment criteria achieved or substantially addressed. However, Kian did not become complacent because the work was already good. He responded to the remaining formative guidance, strengthened the areas requiring further development, and ultimately produced a final submission that achieved the full range of Distinction criteria.
That is significant to me as his Tutor. The strongest apprentices are not necessarily those who never require feedback; they are those who can critically consider feedback, determine what needs improving and independently take the necessary action. Kian consistently demonstrates this behaviour.”
Kian's independence is another quality that sets him apart. He takes ownership of his learning, conducts research, applies his technical knowledge and works confidently towards achieving high standards. His professional communication and positive engagement further demonstrate the maturity he is developing throughout his apprenticeship.
Michael added:
“Kian is also an extremely independent learner. He engages appropriately with the resources and support provided but takes responsibility for his own learning and achievement. He does not require constant direction to maintain a high standard. Instead, he demonstrates the maturity to interpret requirements, undertake research, apply technical knowledge and develop his work independently.
His communication and engagement with me have also been consistently positive. Kian communicates appropriately, responds constructively to guidance and demonstrates a professional attitude towards his studies. There have been no significant concerns about his engagement or progress; instead, he has consistently shown he can be trusted to take responsibility for his own development.”
These qualities are particularly valuable within the construction industry, where technical knowledge, commercial awareness, teamwork and the ability to respond to changing project requirements are essential. Kian is increasingly demonstrating these skills, showing that he can apply his learning in ways that reflect the demands of major infrastructure construction.
Reflecting on Kian's development, Michael explained:
“I believe this reflects particularly well on his development as a Costain apprentice. Major infrastructure construction requires people who can work independently whilst remaining part of a wider collaborative team, communicate professionally, respond to changing information, consider risk and understand the wider consequences of technical and commercial decisions. Kian is increasingly demonstrating these behaviours through his apprenticeship.”
Kian's achievements extend well beyond his academic studies. Support Coach, Diane also recognised his outstanding progress in the workplace, where he continues to take on greater commercial responsibility and make valuable contributions to Costain's projects.
She began her nomination by highlighting Kian’s consistent academic performance and growing professional capabilities.
“I would like to nominate Kian Smith for Apprentice of the Month in recognition of his outstanding academic achievement, professional development and consistently high standard of work.
Kian consistently achieves Distinctions in his assignments and demonstrates excellent commitment to both his apprenticeship and workplace development. He has been recognised for the Building the Future Awards for Young Surveyor of the Year, which the nomination itself is a fantastic reflection of his growing professional capability and achievements.”
Kian’s recognition in connection with the Young Surveyor of the Year award further highlights the progress he is making within his chosen career. Combined with his consistent Distinction grades, this demonstrates the dedication Kian brings to developing his knowledge, strengthening his skills and building a successful future in construction.
Diane added:
“In the workplace, Kian is taking on increasing commercial responsibility, including undertaking subcontract payments and accruals. He has contributed to the development of the Design Procurement Strategy workbook and has subsequently taken responsibility for updating it throughout the latest collaborative target cost submission.”
These responsibilities demonstrate the trust placed in Kian and his growing understanding of the commercial processes that help major construction projects operate effectively. His involvement in procurement and cost management is enabling him to develop practical experience while making a meaningful contribution to the wider team.
Kian has also taken responsibility for reviewing and consolidating subcontractor working hours, working closely with the site team to ensure costs are accurately recorded and allocated. This requires careful attention to detail, effective communication and an understanding of how accurate financial information supports project control and reporting.
Diane explained:
“Kian has also taken the responsibility for consolidating a subcontractor's weekly time by reviewing hours and working closely with the site team to allocate the correct cost codes to activities completed during the previous week. This ensures that expenditure is accurately assigned to the appropriate FEO number, demonstrating his attention to detail and growing understanding of project cost control and financial reporting.
He continues to strengthen his knowledge of procurement, forecasting, commercial reporting and financial management while demonstrating initiative, accuracy and a willingness to take greater ownership of important commercial activities.”
As Kian continues to develop, his combination of academic excellence and practical workplace experience is helping him build a strong foundation for his future career. His willingness to embrace responsibility, maintain high standards and continually expand his commercial knowledge reflects the qualities of an ambitious and committed construction professional.
Concluding her nomination, Diane recognised Kian's achievements and the positive example he sets for other apprentices.
“Kian is an excellent ambassador for apprenticeships. His consistent Distinction-level academic performance, recognition for the Young Surveyor of the Year award, increasing commercial responsibility and commitment to his professional development make him an extremely deserving nominee for Apprentice of the Month.”
Congratulations Kian! Your academic excellence, professionalism and commitment to developing your skills have made you a truly deserving winner of our September Apprentice of the Month award.
We look forward to seeing how you continue to develop your expertise and progress in your career within the construction industry. 👏