42 | OCTOBER 2017
Skills
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
VIDEO SKILLS
CAMPAIGN
Hudson Contract is encouraging young
people across the country to pursue a career
in construction with a video campaign.
The video features apprentices, em-
ployers, Ian Billyard, principal of Leeds
College of Building, and MP for East York-
shire, Rt Hon Sir Greg Knight. It is aimed at
addressing potential industry skills shortag-
es and inspiring young people to take up
apprenticeships in different construction
trades, from bricklaying to plumbing.
Recommendations from both male and fe-
male apprentices in the construction indus-
try can be heard throughout the video. The
true-to-life testimonials of their experiences
in the industry are designed to inspire other
young people to consider and pursue a
career in construction.
Managing director of Hudson Contract,
Ian Anfield, can also be heard giving advice
on the best ways to embark on a career in
the construction industry, which he strongly
believes is through an apprenticeship.
Hudson Contract founder and chairman
David Jackson said: “The success stories
highlighted in the video are confirmation
that dedicated apprenticeship schemes not
only work, but inspire and excite young
people beginning their career in the con-
struction industry. We hope that our com-
mitment to developing confident, passionate
and motivated apprentices, alongside the
introduction of the new Apprenticeship
Levy launched by the government in April,
will play both a big part in addressing the
potential skills shortage in the construction
industry and inform young people of some
of the exciting opportunities available to
them.”
View the full Hudson Contract campaign
video at http://www.hudsoncontract.
co.uk/why-hudson/apprenticeships/
becoming-an-apprentice/
NO BLOCKS ON
JADE’S CAREER
WORKING for a block-making company wasn’t
necessarily Jade Homer’s intended career path
- but the psychology graduate could not be any
happier at concrete block manufacturer Besblock.
HERITAGE SKILLS
To help celebrate its
40th anniversary, retire-
ment housebuilder Mc-
Carthy and Stone invited
people across the country
to pay tribute to the herit-
age skills of older people
throughout its develop-
ments.
The company pledged its
support for Royal Voluntary
Service and the charity’s
annual ‘GrandFest’ event.
The spotlight was on
accomplished older crafts-
people or ‘GrandMakers’ at
selected McCarthy & Stone
developments for Grand-
Fest.
To find out more general
information about
McCarthy and Stone,
including its 40th
anniversary celebrations,
please go to: https://
www.mccarthyandstone.
co.uk/life-and-living/
explore/lifestyle/
grandfest/#grandmakers
The 23-year-old, origi-
nally from Kingswinford
near Dudley, started work-
ing for the Telford-based
firm in September 2016,
having graduated from
Aston University a year
earlier.
A psychology degree
might not be the most ob-
vious hook into the con-
struction industry, but Jade
hasn’t looked back since
becoming the firm’s young-
est staff member.
And the graduate train-
ee’s secret to success at
award-winning Besblock?
“You need your wits
about you and you need
to take a joke - we enjoy a
harmless laugh sometimes,
which I think underlines
the strength and morale of
the company,” said Jade.
“I absolutely love it
here - it’s so friendly and
so warm to new members
of staff. My colleagues are
great to work for. I was a
bit nervous when I joined
as I was the youngest and
coming into a male envi-
ronment.”
She added that her uni-
versity education had been
a valuable experience and
she had transferred a lot of
those skills to Besblock.
Besblock recently un-
veiled record turnover,
bucking the national trend
which reported a 9% drop
nationwide.
Visit besblock.com or
contact 01952 685000.