Jack-Lewis our work experience for the week had the opportunity to interview Matthew Compton, Regional Merchant Manager from H+H, on his apprenticeship experience. Below is the transcribed interview from their teams call.
Jack: What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship?
Matthew: Go for it, definitely go for it. There are so many advantages of it, you’re getting a qualification whilst earning a living and its straight into the work environment which is valuable. You know your sixteen leaving school and your still young, but you’re sort of straight into that work environment and definitively in the construction industry it was fantastic, and I loved it really set me up for a good work ethic which I’ve got now really.
Jack: Did the apprenticeship meet your expectations and how did they?
Matthew: Yes, they did it was a lot on what I wanted to learn about not just the trade I was doing but the construction industry in general, there was a lot on that side of it as well so yes it did.
Jack: If you could change one thing about your apprenticeship what would it be?
Matthew: Erm that’s that hard one because I had such a good time and I enjoyed it so much, it’s hard to say. Erm, I don’t think there’s much, you didn’t really see much on site of anybody coming out to see you in your place of work. That’d be the only thing I’d say. Yeah, I think it was CITB who was sort of the main board, but you didn’t really see people from there that often at all.
Jack: Were you give any opportunity to work independently?
Matthew: Yes, yes plenty
Jack: How long was your apprenticeship?
Matthew: It was 3 years.
Jack: Were there any certifications or qualifications you earnt along the way?
Matthew: I got an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in stone masonry plus there’s another one recorder so you could record your apprenticeship work Aswell .
Jack: What was the most valuable skills you’ve learned during your apprenticeship?
Matthew: Erm I think the worth ethic probably being in the work environment whether it being on site or in the workshop and the social side of it as well as becoming a part of a team you know coming straight from school going straight into working with adults and things like that as well and the discipline of it was good.
Jack: Did your apprenticeship lead you to a full-time job?
Matthew: Yeah, it did yes.
Jack: How well did your apprenticeship prepare you for the job market?
Matthew: Very, very well the apprenticeship, whilst I was doing the apprenticeship I was working for the same company at the same time, so I got employment before my last year of high school, so I went straight into that apprenticeship with full time employment as soon as I left high school.
Jack: What was the biggest challenge you faced during your apprenticeship?
Matthew: Just trying to think, there was nothing really that I could say was a big challenge I enjoyed all of it. The weather maybe being a bit cold but other than that, I just put plenty of layers on everyday was different. It was so good you know and even though it was a long while ago, I’m 41 now and I did it when I was 16 and I still speak to the guys I worked with when I was doing my apprenticeship it was such a good time there. I don’t think there was ever anything that bad about it.
Jack: Would you say that your work-experience benefitted you for life?
Matthew: Yes, without a doubt.
Jack: How did you balance learning with actual work experience?
Matthew: Erm it was very easy because the company I worked for supported it, the day I was at college they paid me for that day as well, there wasn’t too much outside of college which I had to do, it was all done that day at college. We switched it at one point so rather than doing a day I did a week every 6 weeks at college to do a block rather than a day release, so I was lucky with the company that I worked for as they really supported it.
Jack: That’s all the questions I’d like to ask, thank you for taking time out of your day to let us gain insight into your apprenticeship. We’re trying to get more people to join the construction industry.
Matthew: Thank you, no problem at all. I said to my daughters as my eldest is off to Uni, I said don’t discount the construction industry there is so many different avenues you can go into, like I said before I never thought I’d be sat here in a shirt and tie. But that experience was so valid for me doing an apprenticeship to where I am now. I worked in a builders merchants as well before H+H you know and that such a good environment and again a lot of the things I learnt in my apprenticeship I used In that role as well so, university is great but it’s just not for some people but getting an education or a qualification and earning as well is you know fantastic and I was really lucky I was with a great company so they supported me really well so yeah but like I said they’ve got plenty of grants for things at the time as well. Definitely one that a lot of people sort of miss out on with apprenticeships.
Jack: Thank you so much again for taking time out of your day.
Matthew: You’re welcome, take care bye.
