National Apprenticeship Week: Tom's story

It’s National Apprenticeship week, so we’ve caught up with Tom, who started with us as a multi-skilled apprentice six years ago:

We first caught up with Tom back in 2016, just after he joined us as an on a two-year multi-skilled apprenticeship. 

He was working on the major refurbishment of our Tŷ Gnoll Newydd Haven scheme, turning old bedsits into modern, comfortable apartments for our older residents. 

He was working alongside four other apprentices, learning a whole range of trades such as plumbing, carpentry, plastering and bricklaying.  

Over the years, he continued learning his trades, working across our other properties, under the watchful eye of our experienced inspectors. 

Then after two years of hard work, Tom graduated and became a fully qualified multi-skilled operative. 

He moved into our voids team, helping to renovate and re-fresh our empty properties and get them ready for new occupants. 

After four years in that role, Tom decided he needed a new challenge and late last year he became a trainee inspector. The new role will require him to get to grips with a whole new ‘trade’ in how to supervise work and manage staff. 

Speaking about his time with us, Tom said: 
“I thoroughly enjoyed my apprenticeship with Tai Tarian. I learnt so much about carpentry, plumbing, plastering and bricklaying. Just as
importantly, I also learnt a lot of life skills and social skills too. 

“It certainly stood me in good stead and gave me a firm base to go on and develop my career which I’m now doing by training to become an inspector. 

“I would thoroughly recommend an apprenticeship to anyone looking for a way into work, whether that’s in the building trade or in any other walk of life. You’ll acquire skills you’ll remember for life, meet people and get paid whilst you learn, which is an added bonus.” 

Liam Gadd, Tai Tarian’s Voids Manager, said of Tom’s progress: 
“I’m not surprised by how far Tom has come in the last couple of years. Ever since he joined us as an apprentice you could see how eager he was to learn and improve his skills. 

“He’s been a pleasure to have on my team and was thrilled when he applied to become a trainee inspector. 

“There’s now a whole host of new skills for him to learn in managing teams and overseeing work, but given what he has achieved so far in his career, I’m sure he will succeed and become a fully-fledged inspector before too long.”  

And who knows? In his new role he may find himself supervising future apprentices, who will no doubt benefit from his own experiences.