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It’s #CelebrationFriday and we wanted to highlight the inspiring journey of James Mintram, who recently celebrated his 10 year Anniversary with Hopkins. Starting as an apprentice in January 2015, James has progressed to Senior Designer, exemplifying the value of apprenticeships in professional development.
Reflecting on his path, James shared:
“I began my apprenticeship in January 2015 with no prior experience in engineering and construction. Over 7.5 years, I completed an ONC, HND, and BEng, developing technical, communication, and management skills, which led to my promotion to Senior Engineer in 2024.
Choosing an apprenticeship was a strategic decision. With rising university tuition fees, I saw it as a practical alternative, offering hands-on experience and a clear career path without the financial burden.
One memorable project was the Lidl Richmond development, featuring a Lidl store and a school above it in a densely populated area. It provided valuable real-world experience.
Despite academic challenges, the apprenticeship’s structure, with day-release for studies, allowed me to balance learning effectively. Hopkins supported me with time off during exams and mentorship from senior engineers.
Now as a Senior Engineer, I apply the skills I developed, from report writing to mentoring Junior Engineers. The apprenticeship was key to my career growth.
The main takeaway from my journey is that great achievements take time and effort. The apprenticeship not only gave me technical expertise but also built my confidence.
I highly recommend the apprenticeship at Hopkins. It’s a long-term commitment, but the rewards are substantial: no debt, financial advantages, and a supportive environment with graduates ready to help.
Looking ahead, I aim to join the senior management team in the next 5–10 years. The apprenticeship gave me a deep understanding of the company, which will be invaluable in leadership roles.
I’m inspired by leaders like Jason Parker and Neal Haworth, who started as apprentices and now lead the company. I also owe much to Paul Wright for his guidance and support throughout my journey.
My apprenticeship at Hopkins has been transformative, shaping my career and personal growth and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
His line manager, Paul Wright, commended James’s dedication:
“James has consistently demonstrated a clear sense of purpose and direction, tackling complex tasks and driving the delivery of high-value projects. His ability to address challenges head-on and deliver exceptional work has been invaluable to the team.”
James’s journey underscores the transformative power of apprenticeships in shaping careers and contributing to company success. His story serves as an inspiration to those considering this path. Congratulations on your 10 year anniversary with us James and thank you!
Looking to start a career at Hopkins? Let us know by following the link!
https://lnkd.in/ep3FYVBW
#NAW2025
As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we were delighted to be invited by our client Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure to host a workshop at 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗻. Morgan Sindall has a 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 with the school, dedicated to tackling the construction skills shortage and supporting the city’s Southampton Pound initiative ensuring that job opportunities are created locally through collaboration between the public and private sectors.
This partnership focuses on 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗺, 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. By leveraging their supply chain and industry connections, Morgan Sindall is helping young people access training, guidance, and hands-on experiences that will shape their futures.
During our visit, six members of the Hopkins team ranging from 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 delivered a 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 for 12 students, covering:
🔹 Who we are and what we do at Hopkins
🔹 Management, leadership and site-based activities
🔹 Real industry challenges such as recruiting, upskilling, an ageing workforce and financial constraints
🔹 Brainstorming and problem-solving exercises
The engagement and enthusiasm from the students was incredible! Their feedback highlighted how valuable and eye-opening the experience was:
💬 “I learned how to communicate from a project designer to project manager all the way to the builder.”
💬 “I enjoyed learning about leadership and working with someone who knows what they are doing!”
💬 “I liked executing the plan and seeing it built.”
💬 “I now understand how important communication is within a team.”
A huge thank you to 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 and 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗸𝗶𝗻𝘀 who showed up with so much passion and enthusiasm to support the next generation of construction professionals. The future of our industry is bright and we’re proud to play a part in shaping it!
📸 Check out some moments from the session! https://www.linkedin.com/posts/j%26b-hopkins-ltd_naw2025-nationalapprenticeshipweek-futuretalent-activity-7295826169461944322-58nP?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
#NAW2025 #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #FutureTalent #ConstructionCareers #HopkinsCareers #CommunityPartnership #InspiringTheFuture #MorganSindall #RedbridgeSchool #SupplyChainPartnership #GrowingTalent
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗧 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴!⚡🛠️
At Hopkins, we’re passionate about developing the next generation of
𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀. That’s why we’re proud to support
𝗧 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀—a game-changer in technical education that bridges the gap between the classroom and the workplace.
T Levels in 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 are giving students hands-on experience and industry-relevant skills, making them 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲. With a 𝟰𝟱-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, we get to shape future talent while students gain real-world insights into our sector.
💡 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀:
✅ Build a pipeline of skilled future engineers
✅ Provide real-world experience to students
✅ Help bridge the skills gap in our industry
As we celebrate #NAW2025, we encourage businesses to explore how T Levels can 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲. If you’re a student or educator interested in learning more, reach out—we’d love to connect!
#NAW2025 #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #TLevels #Engineering #MechanicalEngineering #ElectricalEngineering #FutureTalent
Today, we’re shining a light on the experiences of our apprentices sharing their insights to inspire those considering this rewarding career path.
💬 “𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.”
— Sophie Hillebrandt, 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿
💬 “𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.”
— 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝘄, 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟯 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲
💬 “𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣.”
— 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗵, 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲
These insights highlight the real value of apprenticeships gaining hands-on experience, learning from experts and growing every day. 🌱
✨ Ready to kick-start your career? Explore opportunities with Hopkins here:
https://lnkd.in/ep3FYVBW
#ApprenticeWednesday #NAW2025 #ApprenticeInsights #Apprenticeships #Careers #LearningandDevelopment #Hopkins #EarlyCareers
At Hopkins, we believe in the power of apprenticeships—not just to grow our business, but to create real social impact. Our apprentices gain meaningful employment, hands-on experience, and specialised training tailored to our industry. From day one, they become part of the team, learning alongside experienced colleagues. By earning while they learn, they develop invaluable skills and gain formal certification, setting them up for long-term success.
Meet Caleb, one of our newest 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟯 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 at Hopkins! Caleb joined us on December 9th and is already making great progress in his role. Here’s what he had to say about his apprenticeship journey so far:
“I’m Caleb, I’m 18 years old, and sports have always been a big part of my life. I’ve played high-level football for as long as I can remember and even spent some time boxing. But when it came to thinking about my career, I wanted something that I’d find interesting and rewarding—something that would give me real experience while helping me grow professionally. That’s why I decided to start a Business Administration Level 3 apprenticeship with Hopkins in December.
Since joining, I’ve been learning so much, especially when it comes to document control and using key business tools like Excel and Word. My time is split between working at Hopkins and attending business-focused training sessions, both of which are helping me develop valuable skills. The support I’ve received from the team has been amazing—they’ve trained me well and are always there when I need guidance.
This apprenticeship has already had a big impact on me. I feel like I’ve grown as a person, becoming more professional, more confident, and much more knowledgeable about the business world. If I had any advice for someone thinking about an apprenticeship, it would be to take notes when learning something new—it makes working independently so much easier. And most importantly, be yourself and build good relationships with the people around you!
I’m excited to see where this journey takes me, and I’m grateful to be part of the team here at Hopkins.”
We’re proud to support Caleb’s journey and look forward to seeing all that he achieves! 👏
Thinking about starting an apprenticeship? Take the first step with us – get in touch today using the link below! 🚀
https://lnkd.in/gikX4WBk
#SkillsForLife #NAW2025 #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #Hopkins #EarlyCareers #Spotlight
Congratulations to Julian Smart for receiving our Employee Recognition Award! 🌟
Julian was nominated for the Hopkins ERA this quarter for his outstanding dedication and positive influence. Through every challenge, his commitment and optimism have been invaluable in boosting team morale, resilience and keeping projects on track. Beyond his technical expertise, Julian helps create a truly supportive team environment.
With an incredible 34 years of service at Hopkins, his consistent professionalism and willingness to help make this recognition truly well deserved. 📸 Check out the throwback photo of Julian celebrating passing his Apprenticeship with one of our founders, John Hopkins! 🎉
Thank you and congratulations once again Julian!
#EmployeeRecognition #Congratulations #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #WellDeserved
🎉 Happy New Year from Hopkins! 🎉
As we step into 2025, we’re excited about what lies ahead this year — new opportunities, growth and partnerships. Here’s to an amazing 2025, filled with success, happiness and achievement for all!
From everyone at Hopkins, we wish you a Happy New Year! 🥂
#HappyNewYear #2025 #TeamHopkins #NewYearNewOpportunities
This year, we have given our employees the gift of extra time to spend with their loved ones so please note our offices will close earlier at 5pm today and re-open 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟮 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱.
We’d like to take this moment to thank you for your incredible support throughout the year. It’s been a pleasure working together and we look forward to collaborating on what promises to be an exciting 2025! ✨
We would also like to express our gratitude to our wonderful supply chain partners who visited us and kindly sponsored our special events over the festive period:
Tamara Beckett & Leigh-ann Rutter at Alliance (CS) Limited
Gary Polkinghorne & Nathan Crighton at Fusion People
Mark Dowle & Paul Ingram at Options Resourcing Limited
Chris Tunnicliffe, James Rhodes, Paul Cooper & Luke Gilligan at Avolon M&E
Scott Clarke at CJL Build Recruitment Ltd
James Steel at Right Contract Services Ltd.
Joe Martin at YESSS Electrical
Julian Shaw at Smith Brothers Stores Ltd
Joshua Bloomfield at voestalpine Metsec plc
Will Phillips at City Plumbing
Rebecca Moore at BSS
Jason Ellis at City Electrical Factors
Mike Kingston at Rexel UK Ltd
Jason Smith at Wolseley Pipe Centre
Simon Browning at BISON
Mark Hobden at Tamlex
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!
What a joy to see the Hopkins Site Teams and Head Office showcasing their festive spirit in support of Save the Children! From sparkling jumpers to dazzling suits, everyone brought their A-game.
Congratulations to Harry Smith, who stole the show (and the prize 🏆) with his fabulous Christmas suit! 👔✨
By supporting Save the Children, you can help to provide life-changing support to children in need.
To learn more about their incredible work or to donate, visit: Save the Children UK | International Children’s Charity
Remember, every little bit counts! Thank you to everyone who got involved and made the day so special.
We’re excited to announce that Hopkins Energy has officially commenced on-site operations at 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗻 to deliver an innovative charging system for vessels!
This project involves:
🔧 Comprehensive civil works managed by Hopkins Energy.
⚡ Installation of a custom-designed ABB E-House, a modular and prefabricated power distribution and automation solution.
🛠️ Integration of a Shore Link charging arm for efficient energy transfer to docked vessels.
This cutting edge solution marks a major milestone in the journey toward greener port infrastructure, providing a powerful boost to the maritime sector’s transition to sustainable energy technologies.
Together, we’re building a cleaner, more efficient future for ports worldwide. 🌍💚