‘I joined the Barratt Apprenticeship programme straight from school. I’ve been here for two and a half years now, so I’m reaching the end of my final year. It’s been really varied. I’ve worked on three different sites and learnt a lot from the people here.
‘Now that I am in my third year, the challenge is to get my head around the more technical elements of the role. I’d say the first year is all about learning the basics, getting to know your way around the site and getting to know different people. The second year is about putting those basics into practice and building up the speed of your bricklaying. The third year has a much greater focus on quality. You learn that good bricklaying isn’t just about speed; it is about how well you measure up beforehand, how many bricks you use, how successfully you minimise wastage.
‘I think Barratt really look after their apprentices well. You get a good salary, holiday pay as well as lots of benefits. You get practical skills and opportunities to gain a formal qualification. And you get a big name on your CV, so people know you’ve developed your knowledge in the right kind of environment.’