The National Apprenticeship Week got to the 15^th edition this year. The week-long celebration of apprentices from all over England takes place from 7^th to 13th of February 2022. We truly support apprentices; we admire their passion, curiosity, talent, ambition and hard work. They are curious and never miss a chance to “steal” some tips and tricks from the masters they work with on the job site.

“Build the Future” is the theme of 2022 National Apprenticeship Week and it fits like a glove. This is what apprentices do: they build the world a better place.

On this special occasion, we interviewed Ryan, Keiran and Jake, 3 apprentices who started a career in trades. Let’s find together their interesting stories!

Happy reading!

 
Tell us a couple of words about you and your activity so far.

Ryan: My name is Ryan, I’m a 20 years old plumbing and heating apprentice from West Midlands, working in domestic housing.

Keiran: My name is Keiran Mcmahon, I am 22 years old and I am from Kent. I am an apprentice in plumbing and gas, I’m a hard worker and I truly enjoy what I do.

Jake: I’m Jake Holder, I am 22 years old and I’m a pipe welder fabricator in the last year of my apprenticeship.

 
How did you decide to start an apprenticeship in plumbing? How long ago? Tell us a couple of words on how it is going.

Ryan: I decided to start plumbing because my grandad, dad and uncle used to be in trades. (house renovations) At the same time, I realized plumbing was one of the trades that will be always needed so I decided to peruse the gas career. However, while at school I wanted to be a police officer, but I was told that I needed to go to university to get a job and that’s something I didn’t want to do.

Keiran: My fiancé’s family has a company in plumbing, so I decided I should give plumbing a try. I started more than a year ago and it’s going well. I'm now starting college for my level 2.  

Jake: I was asked by my family’s friend to work for their business around 5 1/2 years ago. I took a chance as I didn’t have a clue which line of work I wanted to go down and I’ve been here ever since and never looked back. I love that no two days are the same.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Still in trades, or pursuing other career options?

Keiran: In 5 years I will be still in trades, of course. I will be a gas engineer and professional plumber.

Ryan: In 5 years I hope to see myself fully qualified, still learning, producing work at a high standard and hopefully looking towards starting my own company.

Jake:  Hopefully climbed the ladder to a higher role within the company.

 
Describe your apprenticeship experience in 3 words.

Keiran: Hard work, satisfaction, mistakes. 🤣

Jake: Challenging, rewarding, enjoyable.

Ryan: Strenuous, rewarding, hands-on.

What is the most important thing you learned during your apprenticeship?

Ryan: Have confidence in yourself and your work. Attention to detail and prior planning goes a long way. Always listen to constructive criticism. Always take your time, you are still learning.

Keiran: You don't know everything and you never stop learning.

Jake:  Asking for help isn’t a bad thing. It shows your willingness to learn. (My boss always says no question is a stupid question unless you ask it twice 🤣)

Tell us a couple of details about your proudest moment since you are in trades.

Ryan: My proudest moment would be the moment I was left to pipe up a boiler without any pointers. When the work was done, the customer said he was really impressed with my work. It’s just nice to know your time and effort are appreciated.

Keiran: My proudest moment was learning my first boiler service, but also the first solder I did in a house.

Jake: My proudest moment was my promotion to a junior workshop manager position within the company, at age 20.

Have you used any RIDGID tools so far?

Ryan: I have used RIDGID tools in college: wrenches, manual pipe threaders and also the big threading machines.

Keiran: Yes! And I love them!

Jake: I use the RIDGID aluminium pipe wrenches almost every week when installing screwed pipework on food industry sites around the UK. They come in handy for multiple purposes.

To you, which are the most important things to take into consideration when choosing the tools you work with? Do the RIDGID tools have these characteristics?

Ryan: To me the most important thing to look for in tools is reliability. If I’m spending money on tools, are they going to last? Is it worth me spending extra to get a reliable well-made tool? RIDGID has all these: they are strong, quality and also reliable tools, so you won’t be let down.

Keiran: Tools you work with are everything!

Jake: I like well-built solid tools that come with a warranty, things that the RIDGID tools offer. My pipe wrenches are solidly built, with a warranty on replacement jaws, which is great!

Which is your advice/ message for a person who thinks about choosing an apprenticeship in trades?

Ryan: If you are thinking about getting a trade, I’d say go for it! It can be a long time to get your reward/qualifications, but in the end, it’s always worth it. The possibilities are limitless; you don’t have to stop with one trade, you could learn multiple trades. Also, as an apprentice, listen to your supervisors. They are there to help you and teach you the knowledge you’ll need in the real world.

Keiran: Go for it! Anybody can do it!

Jake: My advice would be to try anything even if you don’t know what it is. You may be shocked to see that you can enjoy something you never thought you might enjoy. Also, it’s never too late to start your next career.


You can find Ryan, Keiran and Jake on Instagram, where they post more details about their daily activity on the accounts: @apprenticegasman, @keirantheplumber and @apprenticewelderuk. 

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