Two 19 year olds from West Gorton are on the right path to a successful career since they were recruited by Oldham-based property maintenance specialists City Response Ltd on its apprenticeship programme, which could set them up with a trade for life.
Zak Steedman and Joshua Stone were two of ten apprentices recruited by City Response in September this year as part of its annual apprentice intake. The company employs over 280 staff across its three operating bases in Oldham, Leeds and Chesterfield, many of whom began their careers as apprentices themselves.
City Response Ltd is currently delivering a £4m housing improvement programme in West Gorton, where the two new apprentices live, to bring 144 former council homes up to the government’s ‘Decent Homes’ standard on behalf of local housing provider Guinness Northern Counties.
At 19, Zak, a Guinness Northern Counties resident himself, was verging over the usual age limit for an apprenticeship scheme. However City Response was impressed with Zak’s positive attitude and his eagerness to learn a trade was evident from a City & Guilds qualification he had gained at Openshaw College in Manchester.
Zak said: “I’d worked in a factory locally and hated being cooped up all day and despite getting my City & Guilds in Electrical Technical Installation, I wasn’t getting anywhere when I applied for jobs in this field. I’m really pleased that the qualification I spent two years working for has finally paid off as I’m sure it’s helped me to get a place on City Response’s Apprentice Scheme.”
He added: “I’m really enjoying the electrical apprenticeship, I love being out and about, meeting different people. I’m working on void properties, getting them ready for new tenants and I’m learning so much from my mentors. My parents always said get a trade, and this is definitely the right thing for me.”
Joshua’s enthusiasm clinched him a place on the same scheme as a plumbing apprentice. He said: “I saw the apprentice scheme advertised on a leaflet at the local shop and decided to apply. I was working part time as a waiter to get some money in but this is what I wanted to be doing. Now I’m working on general maintenance and repairs. In year two, I’ll be installing bathrooms and by the third year of this scheme I’ll be qualified to install central heating systems. My mentor Brendan is great, a really nice guy and I’d recommend an apprentice scheme to anyone, for the experience more than anything, I’m really enjoying it.”
Carl Graham, Head of Voids at City Response Limited, said: ‘It’s really important to us as a company to create employment opportunities for young people in the communities we work in and Zak and Josh are a prime example of this. We are keen to give hard working young people a start in a professional career that can set them up for life and it is really pleasing to see both Zak and Josh enjoying the journey of their chosen career.”
City Response offer apprentices a four-year placement where they learn a variety of skills from joinery and plumbing through to electrical work and painting & decorating. All of these trades will enable them to pursue careers in the construction industry from skilled workers up through the layers of management to directorships. Apprentices will receive more than the basic apprenticeship wage and on completion will be able to earn in excess of £400 a week.