Hi, my name is Daniel Williams.

 I was a general labourer for 4 years with my previous company and I realised that I wanted to achieve more out of life within the construction industry, so I decided to pursue an apprenticeship. I then saw an opportunity through Tai Calon advertising an apprenticeship for plastering. I thought that this would suit me very well as I’m always ready to learn something new, up for a challenge and I work well in a team or independently.

I really hoped I would get the apprenticeship through Tai Calon as it’s my local housing association and being from the surrounding area, it was on my doorstep.

Once joining Tai Calon I noticed there were many benefits such as the bi-annual Car Park Catch Up. A company event that happens on a Friday twice a year with street food vans, wellbeing activities as well as an opportunity to meet people in the business I wouldn’t necessarily meet on a day to day basis. In my opinion, it’s absolutely amazing as we never had anything like this in my past career. Management here are also very easy to talk to and any issues or queries are quickly resolved once brought to attention.

When I first started out with Tai Calon I was placed on the tenant side where I mainly observed most of the time taking in as much knowledge as possible. As you can imagine, the pressure to get it right in someone’s home is huge so being able to observe and learn without the pressure was great.

I then got placed on the voids team where I shadowed Nathan, who has taught me a great deal with his knowledge and experience of the plastering trade. I have come leaps and bounds since being placed on voids with Nathan. I feel I have found my true calling as I now have a lot of confidence in my plastering skills and have also picked up other aspects of multiple trades through Nathan, which I believe I would not have been able to achieve if I never went through an apprenticeship, learning on the job.

Now I’m coming to the end of my apprenticeship, I hope to be a fully qualified level 3 plasterer and further my career through this awesome company Tai Calon for as long as they’ll have me.

Through this apprenticeship I am taking on skills for life such as teamwork, confidence in myself, and my trade and customer service skills, which I will have for the rest of my career thanks to Tai Calon.

Thank you

 Daniel K Williams.