I am loving learning the joinery trade and can see how far I’ve come since starting the apprenticeship last year. I compare myself to my mentor, seeing how fast he can finish jobs, and think one day I want to be like him, if not better.

I came out of school and didn’t know what to do, so I carried on studying at sixth form for a while but I wanted something where I could be more hands-on while learning, to have a practical side rather than just studying in a classroom.

My role involves a bit of everything – I do the joinery like putting up stud walls, hanging doors, fixing architrave and skirting boards. But I also do a lot of smaller things and details you don’t really hear about or see and this is good because you’re learning lots of little skills at the same time.

I am based on site four days a week with one day a week at college. We have a range of joiners and have people my age who get on, so we can have a laugh, but there is always someone I can go to for help.

It is good to know there is always support on hand from not only the mentor joiner but from the site manager, Bellway’s HR team and the tutors at college. It is a great support network.

Once I qualify to be a joiner I can use my qualification anywhere, which is incredibly useful.