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Waleed Azam talks about what life was like as a Lovell apprentice and what's changed since he has become a management trainee.
 I left school at the age of 16 with nothing more then my GCSE’s, confused and lost with no aim in my life I enrolled at Bradford College in Joinery and Carpentry course. Here I met a woman who eventually would change my life forever. She spoke to me and asked me what my future prospects were and I told her I wanted to become a fully qualified joiner working for a reputable company. She was a training manager named Sharon Tyer who worked for a leading construction company called Lovell Partnerships Ltd.
She arranged an interview with Lovell Partnerships a few weeks after meeting me, I was very excited as I knew this could be a break through and the only chance I could get to actually make something of my life. I went to the interview with a positive mind and I knew I had to prove myself. After a gruelling 25mins I was told to leave the room so the panel could make their mind up. A few days later I had a phone call from Sharon and she told me I was successful at the interview, I was over the moon and knew this was the beginning of what many would call a career. I was called to the head office were I was given a tool kit, PPE, boots and more importantly a start date with the address of the site I would be working on.
I started on site by working with a fully qualified joiner who was going to teach me all I needed to know. I really enjoyed my days on site because I met different people everyday when working in their houses and also worked/ participated in different activities. Sharon would come to site on a regular basis to visit me and contact me via mobile to see how I was getting along, she reassured me that if I had any problems I could/ should tell her. She also reviewed me on a 3 monthly basis, this review would show any progression I had made, my punctuality, attendance, my motivation, enthusiasm and if I had any problems.
I completed my 4 year Carpentry & Joinery course in May 2009, I was really excited as I knew I had gained a skill which would benefit me for the rest of my life. Sharon came to congratulate me and also to make me another offer which was the Trainee Management Programme. She explained what the programme was about and again I found myself in such a fortunate position that I just could not turn down the offer. I am currently working as a Trainee Manager in the Buying Department and I am hoping to go into Site Management soon.
 I know how fortunate I am and the position I’m in, if it was not for Sharon Tyer and Lovell Partnerships as a company I do not want to think where I would be. I certainly know that I most likely would have been working in a ‘dead end’ job with no career prospects or any chance of progression.
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