Mid Devon Housing Services Apprentice wins the Exeter College Carpentry Apprentice of the Year award

Mid Devon Housing Services are delighted to announce that their Apprentice Tom Ahern has won the Exeter College Carpentry Apprentice of the Year award 2007.

Tom, who has just completed his NVQ Level 3 award at the college, has been with Mid Devon District Council since September 2004, in which time he has attended Exeter College on a day release basis to achieve firstly his NVQ level 2 and now his level 3 in Carpentry. In this time, he has been learning his trade from experienced tradesmen within Mid Devon District Council’s Housing Service where he has been carrying out a variety of repairs in empty properties, Tenanted properties and also with various partner contractors of the Council to gain all the experience he needed to pass his NVQ with flying colours.

Steve Haines, who is the Building Manager for Housing Services said ” We are delighted that our Apprenticeship programme, that was revived in 2002, has now come to fruition and given Mid Devon’s Housing Service 5 new NVQ trained employees. The Building industry is experiencing a severe shortage of good quality tradesmen and investing in Apprentices is the best way for us to maintain a skilled and competent workforce. Tom was selected using a vigorous process back in 2004 and he has proved to be an excellent Apprentice and now a very well rounded Tradesman, capable of carrying out much more that just his core trade of Carpentry.”

Tom has many interested besides his day job, which stood him in good stead with his NVQ and his employment. He constructs sets for the Tiverton Amateur dramatics association and also makes dolls houses and furniture in his spare time.

Tom’s award presentation will be on Tuesday 4th December 2007 at Exeter Chief’s Rugby Ground, Sandy Park. Tom has already enrolled on the Btec National certificate in Construction course at Exeter College and is looking forward to encourage and train the next generation of Apprentices to come through Housing Services over the coming years.