The Director of a Kent construction company was inspired to give back to his industry and take on apprentices after his personal experience in starting out in the trades.
After leaving school 23 years ago, Dave Ashworth was keen to find an apprenticeship role but the only two major companies in the local area had already recruited their maximum number of apprentices.
Despite this, Dave pursued his passion and more than two decades later, is proudly leading Dumpton Park Projects and has been offering apprentices for the past 12 years.
“As soon as I had enough experience, and felt able to do so, I wanted to give back to my industry,” he said.
“About 12 years ago, I started taking on apprentices of my own. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
“The built environment is the biggest industry in the world, and we’ve got to keep it moving, but a lot of people don’t take on apprentices because of the funding.
“Small employers get stressed because they think they haven’t got the time, or the money – but these young people just want to learn, and be part of the team.
“Some people will offer to come in for free to learn and pick up the tools. When they start getting better, you start paying them more, but you’ve just got to give them a chance. We’ve all got to start somewhere.”
It comes as Dumpton Park Projects welcomed its two most recent apprentices; Jake and Brynley.
Both studying a Level 2 Carpentry and Joinery apprenticeship with EKC Training, the duo has found their experience invaluable.
Jake said: “I wanted to take an apprenticeship because I had a few mates who had done one, and they said it was one of the best things they had ever done in their life.
“They got trained up and into the trade, and they just love their job. I haven’t looked back since I started.
“It’s been so beneficial to me, waking up every morning, going to work and learning based on what we’re doing that day. It’s always varied, and I’ve learnt lots of different skills.”
Apprenticeships provide a vital opportunity to young people to learn the reality of working on site, and gives them a chance to develop their problem-solving skills on actual projects.
Dave added: “You learn a lot at college, but it’s so different on site learning the tricks of the trade, but most importantly learning problem-solving skills.
“Problem-solving is the most important part of our job. In this industry, we don’t have new builds all the time, and you just have to find a solution with what you’re given, and get on with it.
“It’s a great feeling to see my guys get over their hurdles, progress, and develop. You get to take them from a place where they don’t really get it, to see them now understand everything. I tell the guys a lot that to see where they came from to where they are now is amazing.”
To find out more about hiring an apprentice with EKC Training, visit ekctraining.ac.uk
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