At Sidara, we believe that at the heart of innovation, is the next generation who will spearhead new ideas for years to come. One such individual is Samir Ali, who joined us in October 2024 as our SMART Building Apprentice.

To highlight Samir’s impact at 150 Holborn, Samir has answered a few questions on apprenticeships and some advice he would give to his younger self:

What made you want to take the apprenticeship route and what attracted you to this field?

I wanted to take the apprenticeship route because it fit with my lifestyle. During my time in Sixth Form I always wanted to do more than just study, so I got a part time job. After Sixth Form, I found that with an apprenticeship, I could earn and study at the same time. I chose this field as my apprenticeship as I have a passion for both mechanical and electrical engineering. I love working on my car and I love fixing things other people may not be able to.

What interests you most about Sidara and your role?

Sidara are one of the top multi-disciplinary engineering companies in the world and so the opportunity to be a part of this was amazing. My role involves many different things such as software, mechanical and electrical engineering. The various aspects of my role make it more interesting as no day is the same.

What skills do you think are important for this apprenticeship?

For this role I think communication is the most important skill since it will never be an independent decision or task – you will always be working in a team. Resilience is also particularly important since there will be problems and challenges you face but you should never give up.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In 5 Years, I want to highlight to people across the globe why having a SMART building is both sustainable and modern.

If you could give a piece of advice to the 16-year-old you, what would it be in relation to your career?

My advice would be to not stress about what specific role you want to get into or do. I know at 16 I was really worried about what I would do in the future. I would say just do what you enjoy focus on that and keep working hard.