An apprenticeship worked for me

Mar 17, 2016

Emanuel Whitaker have been supporting apprenticeships for it’s entire 179 history, so we know the benefits that apprenticeships bring to our company.

This week we’re supporting National Apprenticeship Week and taking the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of some of our apprentices.

Meet Danny Bosher from Oldham.

I now have a great skill and a full time job as a joiner thanks to my apprenticeship.

People think that the only people who do apprentices are those who didn’t do well at school but I did really well and got all my GCSEs – but I had just had enough of education and wanted to get to work as soon as I could.

I knew that I wanted to work in construction as the idea of working in an office was not my idea of fun.

If like me, you don’t like sitting in a classroom then try to get an apprenticeship because you can learn but you are actually doing the job while you are learning. Its miles better than just reading about something.  I know I pick up things much quicker by doing something.  You even get paid to learn as an apprentice which as far as I am concerned is a massive bonus to the scheme.

An apprenticeship worked for me because I get to work on different sites and do all kinds of different jobs.  Emanuel Whittaker does a lot of refurbishment work and my favourite thing is putting in new kitchens for people.  It’s really interesting and the people you are doing the work for are really nice and are dead chuffed at the end of it when they see their new kitchen.

Loads of my mates are unemployed and have been for ages and I was looking for a job myself for ages and so I know how lucky I am to have done an apprenticeship.  Now I have a qualification that will last a lifetime, a good job and no student debt.

New apprentice recruits start work

Dec 15, 2015

A Salford housing provider and its partner contractors have welcomed their latest intake of apprentices.

Salix Homes, which owns more than 8,300 homes across central Salford, has appointed 36 apprentices this year in a range of roles from construction to customer service.

The recruits, who are all local people aged between 17 and 41, have been employed directly with the housing provider as well as with its partner contractors including construction specialists Emanuel Whittaker, Seddon, and A Connolly Ltd, and property maintenance providers Sure Group.

Among the apprentices is 20-year-old Salix Homes tenant Tom Denton, from Charlestown, Salford, who is an apprentice joiner with Oldham-based Emanuel Whittaker.

Tom said: “I feel really lucky to have been selected for this apprenticeship and being able to earn while I learn. As well as learning a new skill which I know will be useful in the future, it’s good that I am helping to improve my local area.”

The new recruits are working on Salix Homes’ £22million investment programme, which will see improvements made to 2,200 homes in Salford over the next two years including new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors.

Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, said: “We are very proud to work alongside our partner contractors to provide these training opportunities for local people to help them create a better life for themselves. “Apprentices represent the future of the housing sector and we are confident our newest cohort will not only gain valuable skills, experience and qualifications, but will also help us to develop a stronger workforce.”

Over the next five years, Salix Homes will create hundreds of new jobs and training opportunities after tenants voted to transfer the ownership of their homes from Salford Council – a move that has unlocked £75m investment in homes and communities across the city.

John Gallagher, contracts director at Emanuel Whittaker, said: “Emanuel Whittaker is renowned for its apprenticeship training and we have a strong history of working with young people. We are very pleased to be continuing this tradition with this latest selection of recruits at Salix Homes.”

Simon Harrison, managing director at A Connolly Ltd, added: “Our business ethos is to raise awareness of construction careers, and also invest in young people who want to work within the industry. Our commitment to our apprentices is to take them through to NVQ3 in their chosen trade or profession and this has been recognised in our recent award through GM Chamber Wigan business awards in supporting apprentices.”

Maggie Heap, community project manager at Seddon, said: “It is a privilege to be able to welcome our latest raft of recruits 119 years after we first launched in Salford.

“Salix Homes is committed to not only improving people’s home through the improvement works, but also helping young people climb the career ladder. This passion is inspiring and we are delighted to be involved with the project.”

Jane Cunningham, director at Sure Maintenance added: “Well trained, quality gas and electrical engineers are critical, as they keep Salix Homes’ customers safe. We are delighted to have recruited motivated and enthusiastic local people as apprentices to support the on-going future delivery of the Salix Homes electrical and gas services.”

The apprenticeships are run in conjunction with procurement consortium Procure Plus.

Kate Parker, senior regeneration manager at Procure Plus, added: “We are thrilled that both Salix Homes and our contractor partners have provided meaningful, paid employment opportunities for many local people who may have otherwise struggled to secure employment.

“Salix Homes’ commitment to improving properties over the next five years means we can offer full apprenticeships, training people in trades which will ensure they can sustain their own employment for years to come.”

Rachel wins Judges Choice Award at Builder and Engineer Awards

Nov 20, 2015

Congratulations to Emanuel Whittaker’s External Wall Insulator Rachel Howarth, who won the Judges Choice Award at last nights Builder & Engineer National Awards at Old Trafford.

Rachel was short-listed for the ‘Rising Star’ award after making history by being the first person in the UK to complete the new External Wall Insulation qualification earlier this year. Rachel was joined by her dad, Paul, and friends and mentors John Woolley, Lee Bradbury and Procure Plus’s Mark Wilson.

When the Rising Star award was won by another nominee, Rachel and her guests were all devastated. Whilst still commiserating, the host announced the final award of the evening – the Builder & Engineer “Judges Choice Award”. Imagine Rachel’s suprise when the host called out her name.

Former nursery nurse achieves a construction first

Jul 6, 2015

A former nursery nurse who swapped the playroom for the building site has become the first person in the UK to achieve a ground breaking new construction qualification.

Rachel Howarth (25) is an employee of Oldham building and refurbishment company Emanuel Whittaker and has made history after achieving an NVQ Level 3 in External Wall Insulation at Salford City College’s City Skills Sixth Form Centre.

Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for Emanuel Whittaker, said:  “It’s no surprise that Rachel has become the first to qualify.  In her career with us to date, she has been keen to develop and learn new skills and is a great asset to the company.”

Rachel, from Salford, originally trained in childcare, but decided on a career change after being made redundant from her job as a nursery nurse.  She said: “I only went into childcare because I didn’t know what to do when I left school.

“My granddad was a plasterer and I was always into DIY growing up and so after I was made redundant I was happy to join Emmanuel Whittaker as an apprentice plasterer. There is lots of laughing and banter with the lads – I love it.”

After completing her plastering apprenticeship, Rachel was keen to take advantage of the new qualification which was developed by North West regeneration consortium, Procure Plus, who worked with various partners to develop the criteria for the qualification before receiving approval from Ofqual.

Mark Wilson, Regeneration Manager at Procure Plus, said: “Developed in partnership with Salix Homes, this qualification will go a long way to ensure that Rachel and many others have the desired skills to support our industry’s mission in providing robust insulation that significantly reduces carbon emissions.”

Rachel has been honing her skills at Salix Homes’ multi-million pound improvement projects on tower blocks across Salford, including Floral Court in Broughton and Riverbank and Newbank Towers in Greengate.

Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, added: “Salix Homes was keen to launch this new qualification and generate a workforce of home-grown talent who could deliver this specialist skill and we’re very proud that Rachel is the first to qualify. She is a fantastic role model and a real ambassador for women in the construction industry.”

The UK has approximately 26 million homes and it is estimated that around half of these are not insulated properly with heat escaping through walls, ceiling and windows.  As energy prices continue to increase, wall insulation has never been so important.  The Level 3 NVQ in External Wall Insulation addresses a skills gap within the construction industry, as, prior to its creation, there was no available progression route for Apprentices completing the Level 2 qualification.

Salford City College’s City Skills Sixth Form Centre works closely with partners in the construction industry to deliver bespoke, industry-standard workshops which allow students to develop their skills in a professional environment.  Andrew Hallsworth, Work Based Learning Delivery Leader at Salford City College, said:  “We are pleased to have played a part in Rachel’s success and the delivery of this qualification, which has created new avenues of progression for Apprentices within the construction industry.”

Like father, like son

Mar 6, 2015

It’s National Apprenticeship Week this week and as usual we are celebrating our commitment to training young people with a variety of initiatives including talking to our youngest apprentice, 16 year old Josh Rose about his experiences.

Josh lives in New Moston and attended Oasis Academy, Oldham where he left with five grade B GCSEs.  Despite his academic success however, he didn’t want to go to college and instead decided to follow in his dad’s footstep to become a joiner.

“I knew I wanted to be a joiner when I was ten,” said Josh.  “My dad would sometimes take me to work with him and I really enjoyed watching him.”

And Josh has not only followed in his dad’s career footsteps but also in his training footsteps because dad Jonathan also learned his trade as an apprentice with Emanuel Whittaker!

“The company came to our school to talk to us about apprenticeships,” said Jonathan, “and a week after leaving school I started with them.  I was 15 when I started my City and Guilds in joinery.”

In fact Jonathan liked Emanuel Whittaker so much he remained with the company for 16 years.  He was keen that Josh try to get an apprenticeship with the company he believes can’t be beaten when it comes to training.

He adds: “My time with Emanuel Whittaker was fabulous and I look back with great fondness.  The company had a reputation then for being one of the best places to do an apprenticeship and that reputation is just as deserved today.  I was thrilled when Josh got a place.”

Josh is currently learning his craft on a project with First Choice Homes Oldham where he works with an expert team installing new kitchens.

“I am a hands on type of person and so a full time college course didn’t really appeal to me,” said Josh.  “I am getting so many different experiences working in the real world which I think is  important.  It’s lovely to see how the tenants, the customers, appreciate their new kitchens and I am working with a great team who have made me feel very welcome.”

Josh goes to Oldham College every Monday to fulfil the theoretical side of his apprenticeship and develop his new skills.  He hopes to have a basic carpentry and joiner qualification in two years and then may decide to take advanced skills.

“I think apprenticeships are a great idea,” said Josh.  “I am being paid to learn and I am mixing with lots of different people, colleagues and customers.  I am learning a useful skill and I am confident that I will get a full time job when I have finished.”

Government figures show that 90% of apprentices stay in employment after finishing their apprenticeship and 83% said their ability to do the job and their career prospects had improved.  Emanuel Whittaker is proud of the fact that the majority of its apprentices are employed full time either in house or with one of our approved sub-contractor partners.

Last year, Emanuel Whittaker made The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers List which is compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service in partnership with City & Guilds. It recognises excellence in those businesses that employ apprentices and that can prove an exceptional contribution to apprenticeships.  We will continue our commitment to training young people for many years to come.

To find out more about the benefits of apprenticeships go to www.apprenticeships.gov.uk