Building the next generation: STRABAG UK welcomes its largest early careers cohort yet

28 Sep 2026

STRABAG UK has welcomed its largest early careers cohort to date, with nearly 40 graduates and apprentices joining the business this year as part of its continued investment in developing the next generation of talent across the construction and infrastructure sector.

The new cohort brings together people from a wide range of backgrounds, disciplines and experiences, who will begin their careers across projects and teams throughout the UK.

For the 21 new graduates, their first week at STRABAG looked a little different from a typical start to working life. Rather than beginning behind a desk, they travelled from across the UK to the Lake District for a five-day induction at the Outward Bound Trust’s Eskdale Centre.

Starting their careers

Set in the Eskdale Valley, the induction was designed to help the graduates get to know one another, test themselves and develop skills that will support them throughout their careers.

Through a series of practical challenges and individual projects, the group was encouraged to work together, reflect on their experiences and step outside their comfort zones. They explored their individual strengths and areas for development, while developing skills in communication, collaboration and giving and receiving constructive feedback.

The programme was also built around STRABAG’s guiding principles, giving the graduates an opportunity to consider what these mean in practice and how they can apply them from the very beginning of their careers.

The group was joined by colleagues from across STRABAG UK, giving the graduates the opportunity to meet people from different parts of the business and hear first-hand about career journeys within the organisation.

The induction marks the beginning of a 15-month graduate programme designed to provide a strong foundation for a career at STRABAG. Alongside experience in the workplace, graduates will have access to structured learning and development, helping them build their technical knowledge, develop their professional skills and gain a broader understanding of the construction and infrastructure sector.

The thing that surprised me most about Induction week was how quickly I connected with the other graduates and colleagues. On the coach journey to the centre, I bumped into two graduates I’d met at the same assessment centre, giving us a chance to catch up and share what we’d been up to since then. As the week went on, I got to know everyone else too, and by the end, I felt I had built a connection with the whole group.

Nathan Cummins-Macleod
Finance Graduate

Graduate Town Planner

My first week at STRABAG in the Lake District was amazing. It was great to meet the other graduates in such a different setting to a typical first day in the office. I think this really helped us connect, build trust and get to know one another. Gorge walking and raft building were particular highlights, alongside a quiz night hosted by one of the graduates on our final evening (which was even better because my team won!).

Georgia Drewett
Graduate Town Planner

A growing early careers programme

The latest intake marks another step forward for STRABAG UK’s early careers programme, which has continued to grow as the business invests in attracting and developing emerging talent.

This year’s cohort is the largest yet, reflecting the breadth of opportunities available across STRABAG UK and the importance of bringing new perspectives and skills into the industry.

For STRABAG UK, developing early careers talent is not simply about filling roles today. It is about building the skills, experience and leadership capability the business will need in the future.

One example of the type of work that graduates can become involved in is the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme, where STRABAG is drawing on its international expertise while working closely with local communities and partners.

HARP demonstrates the scale and complexity of the infrastructure environment in which early careers professionals can develop their experience. Working on projects such as this gives graduates the opportunity to see how the skills they are developing translate into real-world outcomes – from technical delivery and collaboration through to sustainability, social value and engagement.

For graduates beginning their careers, exposure to major infrastructure projects provides an opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues while contributing to work that will have a lasting impact.

I felt the induction week helped me learn more about STRABAG as a company and the work they take part in. The environment made me feel comfortable asking any questions I had about STRABAG’s apprenticeship programme, which subsequently alleviated any anxieties I had about starting my apprenticeship journey.

Elena Izabela Pescaru
Apprentice Civil Engineer

Welcoming the next generation of apprentices

The graduate intake forms part of a wider early careers programme, with STRABAG UK also welcoming a new group of apprentices this year.

The apprentice cohort also began their own induction programme, bringing together new starters from across the business and giving them an opportunity to understand STRABAG, meet their fellow apprentices and begin building the knowledge and relationships that will support them throughout their apprenticeships.

The apprenticeship programme combines structured development with practical experience, allowing apprentices to learn while contributing to the projects and teams around them.

Together, the graduate and apprentice programmes are helping STRABAG UK create clearer pathways into the construction and infrastructure industry – giving people at the beginning of their careers the opportunity to learn, contribute and grow.

As this year’s largest-ever early careers cohort begins its journey, the focus now turns to what comes next: putting their learning into practice, gaining experience across the business and building the careers that will shape STRABAG UK’s future.