Top tips from APM’s Apprentice of the Year

Miles Allibone-Dover is an apprentice at National Highways. Enjoying a meteoric rise, he started his career in project management in 2023 and is now an assistant project manager. To cap it all off, Allibone-Dover was named Project Management Apprentice of the Year at the APM Education and Research Awards 2025.

He's passionate about vocational education: “Most project managers I talk to didn't know they wanted to be a project manager. They stumbled into the profession. It was similar for me. I did my A-levels and knew I didn't want to go down the university route.”

He applied to 20 apprenticeship schemes before choosing to accept National Highways’ offer. From day one, it was a perfect fit, he says. Here’s what he’s learned.

1. Take every opportunity

“I feel like this advice gets thrown about so much that people overlook it. But for me, taking every opportunity has worked. Saying yes has a snowball effect. You become known as the person who'll take things on. If you do a good job, other opportunities will be offered, and you get more and more chances to show what you are capable of.

“For example, when I first started at National Highways, I was asked if I wanted to do an interview with someone. I had no idea who. It turned out to be the executive director. People saw I could communicate on camera, so I got more chances to do interviews. It created a relationship, and that's helped me down the line. So say yes and deal with whatever gets thrown at you.”

2. Find a mentor

“Mentorship accelerates your development. If your company offers you a mentor, take it. If not, seek one out. Look for someone you admire, who’s in a position you want to reach or who communicates well. I did that with Paul Unwin, a senior leader I saw present during my induction. His stage presence impressed me, so I reached out for advice. We now meet regularly. Most experienced people are happy to help if you show initiative. Don’t wait for mentorship to find you; go and find the person who can guide you.”

3. Show attention to detail

“Little things that others may think are irrelevant are worth getting right. I'm talking about stuff like generating slides and making sure the text is all in the same font and in the right size. Uniformity creates a sense of professionalism. Or, if you are booking a meeting with someone, check their calendar to see when they are free before you ask. If you are in a meeting, take minutes without being asked. You'll be known as the person who gets the job done. And if you do a creative job, you'll show you are able to communicate clearly.

“It may sound comical, but I wore a suit to my End Point Assessment over Zoom. I wanted to show I go the extra mile!”

4. Take the time to answer people's questions

“When there's a new cohort of hires out of university or apprentices, they'll have a lot of questions. In fact, they'll often ask the same questions, which can be annoying. But you should take the time to listen to them and be patient. Just because something is obvious to you, does not mean everyone else knows. Even stuff like how to book a meeting with Microsoft Teams can be tricky if you've never done it before. Schools don't teach it. So take the time to make sure new hires can ask questions without looking foolish. They'll appreciate it.”

5. Look after yourself

“It's easy when building a career to sacrifice life outside work. But it's important to be consistent with exercise, or there's a price to pay later on. It helps me to remind myself why I'm going to the gym. I want to be healthy. OK, maybe to look good too! So, no matter how late it is, I make sure I go to the gym a few times a week, even for just 20 minutes if that's all I can manage. Discipline is about consistency. Maintain your commitment to staying fit and you'll be thankful in the future.”

Read the full interview with Miles Allibone-Dover in the forthcoming autumn 2025 issue of Project journal.