Chief Executive Marion Marsland met up with TICA Apprentice, John Francis – now almost two years into his thermal insulation apprenticeship…

“Having just completed his NVQ, and gained valuable experience working in both HVAC and Engineering sectors with member companies, John will now go on to gain a further two years of work experience at Operative Level under our Apprenticeship Programme.

Guided throughout by the TICA training and support team, and employed by our members, John, is now looking forward to the next phase of the programme.

The second phase of our involvement is to facilitate placements, working with TICA members to continue to ensure that John gains a wide range of experience and materials, but also to work closely with John and listen to feedback on what he is enjoying the most within the sector.

TICA will continue to provide advice and guidance on a range of issues which affect young people entering our trade, including advice on lodging away, and the different aspects of working within the two different sides of our industry; engineering and commercial construction.

John (pictured left with Colin Wales, TICA Training Officer for the North) will continue working at his most recent placement company; Powertherm, before returning to the TICA Training Centre and considering either the Level 3 Advanced Craft Certificate, or the Occupational Work Supervision Level 3 Certificate.

Whatever he chooses, TICA will ensure that John has all the support he needs to complete the programme.

The TICA Apprentice initiative has provided us with invaluable feedback.  We’ve been able to look at our programme through John’s eyes and then feedback to our employers who have very much taken on board the information that has been presented back to them.

We are now working with John to ensure the next two years continue to be effective ‘on the job’ learning and that John can be coached on the wider aspects of working with construction.”