#NAW2026

February 11, 2026

Well, it is here. This article is a reflection on my experience as an apprentice. It also covers my experience as a tutor/trainer of apprentices. #naw2026

Article content — Image of myself in 1990 with apprentice of the year award

My back story as an apprentice

I began my apprenticeship journey in 1987 at Bolton Metropolitan Borough Housing Department. Back in this time frame the housing department took on 12 apprentices every year in a range of trades. Just imagine if this was the case now, national recruitment across a range of trades continually every year. Would we be in the position we are in now with skills gaps everywhere? Perhaps not, we may never know.

My experience into the industry began in Bolton and was an apprenticeship with the housing department as an apprentice plumber. The first year being on a YTS (youth training scheme) and my pay was a huge £27.50 a week. The housing department actually doubled this amount. They matched the scheme payments. I was on an eye-watering £55.00 a week now. I felt like a millionaire at the time.

During my apprenticeship with the housing department, I covered a wide range of work. I really felt comfortable in all areas of the plumbing and heating sector. Which makes me think about the skills and knowledge gained nowadays on an apprenticeship. Is the current scope of training in the workplace varied enough or is it just specialisms? I believe there is a mixed bag. However, I think apprentices now are perhaps not as fortunate. They don’t have the range of opportunities I had to experience the scope of work I encountered. The range of work differed daily as the housing department covered such a mixed bag of property types and systems.

Plumbing repair and maintenance (responding to emergencies)
Plumbing installation (kitchen, bathrooms, external repairs – sanitation, rain water and below ground drainage)
Heating repairs and maintenance (responding to emergencies)
Servicing of gas appliances
Installation of heating systems (gas and solid fuel)
Installation of gas appliances (gas fires, cookers, wall heaters, water heaters and more)
Maintenance of public buildings (schools, libraries, town halls, swimming baths and more)
Glazing (repair of glass to single occupancy dwellings and multiple occupancy)
Weathering of external fabrics (sheet lead weathering, copper weathering etc)
Apprenticeship projects include new builds for pensioners and refurbishments of existing properties. These projects are carried out by apprentices of all trades. All apprentices come together with an apprentice master. The master oversees the tasks and challenges set for the group. This structure benefits trainees of all levels and years into their apprenticeship.

I really believe that the experiences I covered during my apprenticeship gave me a solid foundation. This foundation allows me to share passion, knowledge, and skills with future students further down the line in my career.

My college experiences

College days – My days were slightly different than which the apprentices experience now.

My days were spent at the college under the tuition of Mr Stones, Mr Armason, and Mr Matthews. They were all fantastic role models as plumbing tutors. The technician Mr Ellinson assisted us fantastically well. He always had our plumbing workshop in an impeccable state of readiness. He also helped the tutors make the experiences in the workshop safe, fun, and educational during every occasion. My first experience of learning the knowledge was on a block release from September until the end of December. I combined this with the skills developed at work. This approach really did allow me to broaden the depth of knowledge and skill in my apprenticeship.

Now in the sector, we tend to have apprentices completing day release. This, of course, suits the employer and the apprentice. I will leave it to others to determine which was or is more beneficial.

Change of direction

In the autumn of 2006, I left my role within the plumbing and heating sector. I had been in that role for over 20 years. I then entered the teaching and training sector at Tameside College in Ashton under Lyne. This was a new beginning for me. It was a wonderful few years as I served my time again as an apprentice teacher, so to speak. Teaching young and old at various levels who were keen to get into plumbing and heating. Apprentices and full/part time students alike at differing levels. I stayed at Tameside college from 2006 until 2013. In the September of 2013, I moved to another college. I began teaching at The Manchester College. I developed a Green Technology centre. This followed the successful introduction of a similar centre at Tameside College. I then returned to Tameside College in 2018. Finally, I got the opportunity to go and teach at Bolton College. That is where it all began.

Coming full circle

There was never a prouder moment and a feeling of elation than when I could come to Bolton College. I used my years of teaching, training, and resource development. I put them to use in my home town college and enhanced the opportunities for the people of Bolton. Using all my experience of the industry, experiences of delivery, delopment and assessment.

It was time for me to put into practice what I felt was meant to be. I was born in Bolton and trained in Bolton. Now, I am sharing my knowledge and skill with the learners of Bolton.

My apprenticeship prepared me to do this. I gained a full range of experiences within the industry. I trained as a tutor for over 15 years. Before coming to Bolton College, this experience prepared me well to teach and train. We all learn everyday and use our experiences and share them. I decided to train apprentices in a particular way. My learning experiences were good and enjoyable, but I knew I could make them easier to digest. This would help apprentices apply the knowledge and skill. I developed my own way of teaching. I approached the planning of curriculum and sessions so that everyone could achieve something. More importantly, they could retain the knowledge and skill. I often call myself an entertainer with plumbing knowledge to my colleagues. If you can be memorable in your delivery, you are halfway there as a good trainer or tutor.

Thinking back to my apprenticeship, I received very few resources to support my knowledge. I had plenty of skills, but I knew there was a gap in the resources students and apprentices had. They lacked access outside of college or even while they were in college. I combined my knowledge of the industry and contacts within it. I also drew on my experiences developing resources for use in the classroom. I began to make a platform for all students to use. It includes a wide range of information. These resources are for everyone to use to support them during and long after their studies.

This led to great successes in the delivery, completion, and celebration of the apprentices. They were using the resources. These included the experiences within the classroom, workshop, and on site.

Within my career as an apprentice to a trainer/tutor, I have been blessed and recognized. Our apprentices have received local and national recognition. We have taught them at Bolton College and Tameside College Apprenticeships. This is due to the innovative ways in which we now teach within the sector. I owe all of this innovation to the people who moulded and shaped me during my apprenticeship in the industry. The people who helped me develop as a tutor also played a crucial role. The path from an apprentice to a trainer is so fulfilling. However, it all starts with access to the elusive apprenticeship. Nationally, we need to recognize its importance. Having skilled people to continue to deliver the needs of the community is crucial. It is essential both locally and nationally. We must never neglect this importance.

I will continue to develop my students in readiness for the industry in my own way. I am preparing them to be #WorkReady, #WorldReady, and #FutureReady. They will be able to provide a quality service to all of the community they serve. Hopefully, the powers that be invest in apprenticeships. They should let employers recruit apprentices without it becoming a burden. Training should not be too costly to invest in.