Apprenticeships

Teenage bricklaying apprentice in Wellingborough looking to climb career ladder

- 21 Oct 19

A Wellingborough apprentice, who has urged more young people to get into the housebuilding industry, is already setting his sights on a management role at a national housebuilder.

Patrick Deloughery, 19, has started on the trainee assistant site manager (TASM) programme at Bovis Homes’ Wendelburie Rise location at Stanton Cross, after successfully completing a bricklaying apprenticeship.

Patrick, who recently won Regional Apprentice of the Year at Bovis Homes, praised the housebuilder for supporting him onto the industry-leading TASM scheme.

“My apprenticeship at Bovis Homes went so well - I learnt how to develop my skills and learn new ones by talking and watching site managers at work,” he said.

“I also learnt how to problem-solve better and how to ask people for advice, and through my development I managed to get an interview for the TASM programme.

“It is going very well so far and I’m learning every day about different parts of the company and site life that you wouldn’t learn as an apprentice.

“I now know how to liaise with different trades and not be scared to ask questions. My ambition is to be a site manager for Bovis Homes in the future.

“My site manager and other Bovis Homes people are very supportive and if you don’t know or understand something, they are more than happy to teach you and show you how it is done and why.”

Patrick is calling for more career guidance on apprenticeships to be offered at schools, to encourage more pupils to pick up construction trades.

He started his apprenticeship in 2016, learning about all aspects of bricklaying, including cavity walls, window openings and wider topics such as National House Building Council guidelines.

Patrick added: “I’d definitely recommend an apprenticeship to others. It’s a route you don’t hear much about in schools, for housebuilding and other sectors.

“They need to do more in schools to promote apprenticeships and support interested people towards that choice.

“Some pupils are very hands-on and there’s a shortage of tradespeople – but no-one’s broaching it. The word needs to be put out there and companies and colleges need to visit more schools.”

Bovis Homes’ 12-month TASM programme aims to progress talented people within the company to assistant site manager and helps them gain the relevant qualifications.

Hayley Waldron, functional training manager at Bovis Homes, said of Patrick’s achievements: “We are delighted to have Patrick on the trainee assistant site manager programme.

"Patrick has been a vital member of our team and looks to have an exciting future ahead at Bovis Homes.”