No wrong path: Kevin – from joinery apprenticeship to Project Site Manager

Our 'No wrong path’ stories support the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) campaign for young people who may feel disheartened by their exam results or aren’t sure what their next step after school should be. Colleagues from across Team Robertson who were in that same position share their experiences of leaving school and getting to where they are now – and show that there’s no right or wrong path.

Leaving school aged 15, Kevin listened to his headmaster’s advice and started an apprenticeship. From there on he says he ‘never looked back’. Here he tells us why.

What was school like for you?

School and I never got on, I didn’t feel it offered me a great deal and didn’t enjoy going. I’ve since found out I’m dyslexic which wasn’t picked up at school, but it explains a lot of my struggles. When I turned 15 I met with the headmaster to ask if I could leave. He encouraged me to do an apprenticeship, which is exactly what I did and never looked back.

Tell us about your apprenticeship experience:

I completed a four-year joinery apprenticeship with a local employer, and it was fantastic. The hands-on learning suited me, being shown what to do then allowed to do it. And as one of the team I was treated like an adult from the start, very different to my experience at school. I started on the joiner’s bench, did carpentry, ventured onto site and eventually became a site joiner. 

I never had any intention of becoming a manager, but it seemed to come naturally to me. I’m not forceful but can take hold of a situation and am happy to lead. With the apprenticeship under my belt I went from joiner to charge hand, then site foreman and onto project site manager – the most senior guy on site.

You’ve been with Robertson for over two years:

Yes, Robertson was recruiting for a site manager in my local area. I got the job and am now the project site manager on a £34m hospital refurbishment. Essentially I’m in charge of the site programme costs and liaising with our customer and design teams. It's a case of no two days are the same which keeps me on my toes.

I’ve also been studying and recently passed the NVQ Level 7 in Construction Senior Management. There’s a huge amount of courses on offer at Robertson, it’s a supportive environment and I’ve been encouraged to develop and progress in my career from the start.

What’s your message for any young person disheartened by their grades or not sure what their next step should be?

Don’t define yourself by your grades. If you didn’t get the grades you wanted or expected, there are many more avenues to get you to where you want to be.

We need more young people in construction and there's a huge variety of roles, so try to get along to a jobs fair and ask questions (there's no such thing as a stupid one). It’s a challenging and rewarding industry that pays well and has plenty of opportunities to progress.