Member Article

Apprentices urged to follow in construction director’s footsteps

When John Rodda started work as a bricklayer at the age of 15 little did he know that 45 years later he would be in a position to launch a major recruitment drive to find new youngsters to join the trade.

Mr Rodda joined Persimmon Homes just over six years ago and has recently relocated to the company’s East Midlands region as construction director. He previously filled the role for Persimmon’s Yorkshire and East Yorkshire regions.

He has enjoyed a successful career since he started out as an apprentice straight from school and says he is thrilled that youngsters in the region are now being given the same opportunity.

He said: “I am recruiting apprentices and I want to hear from people who are ambitious for a successful career in the housing industry.

“We want people to realise that by joining Persimmon they can have the same chances I had and be whatever they want to be. The sky really is the limit for enthusiastic apprentices.

“We are looking to take on five youngsters this year as the company expands across the region, operating in Cambridgeshire, east Northamptonshire, south Lincolnshire and Rutland. There is plenty of scope as we are building homes at a number of different locations.

“These young apprentices are the future and we are not just selling them jobs, but a career. They may be a bricklayer now, but we want people who think ‘what’s next?’.

“We encourage people to change direction, and may even sponsor them through university, and help them move further up the company.”

John said he gets a lot of satisfaction watching youngsters come through the system and gain success, whilst at the same time supporting local communities.

“We take a piece of land and, irrespective of its shape and location, we improve the community by building quality homes. As a director, I enjoy looking at a site and thinking ‘we built that and, yes, we are trying to improve that area by adding to its value and employing local people’,” he added.

Now John has moved to a new region he says he is looking forward to working with local communities and passing on his experience to the builders of the future.

For more information visit www.persimmonhomes.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lee Southen .