Lovell and Somer Community Housing Trust help two local
teenagers build construction careers
23rd October 2008
Two Bristol teenagers are laying the foundations
for careers in the construction industry with the help of local
housing regeneration specialist Lovell and Somer Community Housing
Trust.
Ross Sheldrake, 18, from Warmley and Darryl Cole, 19, from
Stockwood have started apprenticeships with Lovell, which has local
offices at Emersons Green, Bristol, and a regional office in
Cardiff.
%20and%20darryl%20cole.jpg "Apprentices Ross and Darryl")
Apprentices:(left to right) Ross Sheldrake and
Darryl Cole
Trainee carpenter Ross and apprentice bricklayer Darryl are
learning their trades working on Somer Community Housing Trust’s
£37 million housing redevelopment programme in Keynsham and Bath.
Lovell is redeveloping post-war pre-cast reinforced concrete houses
and flats building some 300 new homes and will also be carrying out
refurbishment work to a number of properties.
Both Ross and Darryl are based at Caernarvon Road, Keynsham, the
first estate to be redeveloped through the programme.
Ross is working towards an NVQ Level 2 qualification in Wood
Occupations erecting timber frames for houses and flats, combining
on-site training with day-release study at City of Bath College. “I
enjoy working with my hands and being outdoors,” says Ross.
“There’s a great sense of achievement when you can stand back and
look at something that you’ve made. In the future, I want to be a
fully qualified carpenter.”
Darryl is studying for an NVQ Level 2 qualification in
Bricklaying. Having already achieved his Intermediate Construction
Award at City of Bristol College, Darryl will be assessed for the
NVQ qualification through his work on site with Lovell and is
studying at Stroud College. “My aim is to increase my skills and I
hope in the future to have my own business,” says Darryl.
“Providing local job and training
opportunities is very important to Lovell,” says Lovell regional
training advisor Mike Davis. “We’ll be giving Ross and Darryl all
the support we can to help them develop their careers with us. We
anticipate that there will be further opportunities for apprentices
as the project progresses over the next three years.”
Angela Gascoigne, the Trust’s managing
director, says: “As a housing charity which invests millions of
pounds each year in developing new homes and maintaining existing
homes you could say that we have a vested interest in playing our
part in securing the future of the industry. As a major player in
communities within the West of England we want to encourage
opportunities for young people to fulfil their potential and
contribute to the creation of great neighbourhoods. We are
extremely pleased that our partners Lovell are providing these
local opportunities for Ross and Darryl and other young apprentices
over the next three years.”