Lancashire
Building a brighter future for our apprentices
Onward Homes is creating new pathways into training and employment for people in Lancashire.
A group of Lancashire locals have been given the opportunity to take up an apprenticeship within our repairs team. The repairs team have taken on six apprentices who will be mentored and supported through qualifications in a variety of trades such as plumbing, joinery, maintenance, and design. The programme provides training across a whole range of areas and will unlock routes into employment for local people.
20-year-old Sammuel Harling from Rishton joined Onward Repairs as an apprentice joiner in 2019. Sammuel is now working to gain his NVQ Level 3 qualification, enabling him to work on more technical fixtures and fittings. Sammuel also received support to gain his driving license through Onward’s ‘Learning for Life’ fund, which contributed £150 towards driving lessons.
This year, 28-year-old John Jacobs from Nelson also joined the repairs team as an apprentice painter and decorator. John was formerly a traffic warden and applied to the scheme to embark on a new career to support his young family.
Commenting on the programme, John said:
“The opportunities and support I have received so far have been great. It’s not just a job. I feel that I have been able to establish a career path, and I look forward to continuing to learn and develop my skills further.”
Steve Russell, Head of Onward Repairs, said:
“It has been fantastic to see all our apprentices like Sammuel and John thrive and develop their skills here within the repairs team. Here at Onward, we work to support and make a positive difference to the communities we serve and that starts with investing in our own workforce.
We are keen to advance the career development, growth and goals of all our apprentices, helping them become a qualified tradesperson. We are looking to increase the number of good quality apprenticeships we offer to tackle the UK’s ongoing skills shortage in the construction and property sector and to provide key job opportunities with a real living wage to those who live in the North West.”
Want to find out more about a taking up an apprenticeship with Onward Homes?