When Chris Curry started work with a leading housebuilder as an apprentice little did he know that more than 20 years later he would be in a position to launch a major drive to find new youngsters to join the group.
Mr Curry, 37, who lives in the village of Ellington, is now the construction director with Persimmon Homes North East after rising through the ranks from his early days as an apprentice joiner.
He joined Persimmon Homes in 1992 aged just 16 on a YTS programme just one-and-a-half weeks after leaving school. He has stayed with the company ever since enjoying a high-flying career and now hopes to find other youngsters to follow in his footsteps.
He said: “In many ways I followed in my father, Ian’s, footsteps. He started out as a joiner and was in construction al of his working life.
“When I started my career, I worked for three years as an apprentice joiner and then for three years as a joiner while Persimmon sponsored me to further my construction studies at Newcastle College.
“I was an assistant site manager for a couple of years before working as a site manager. In 2003 I became the contracts manager and construction manager in 2005, becoming the construction director in 2007.”
One aspect of his job which Mr Curry particularly enjoys is being able to give youngsters their chance to enjoy a similar career by running an apprentice programme.
He said: “I am trying to recruit apprentices now and in doing so show people that they can have the same chances I had and be whatever they want to be. I am currently looking for four apprentices; one joiner and three bricklayers.
“I am looking for people that are driven to learn a trade, who will work hard and want to succeed.
“We are here to train them, but I want somebody that wants to do well and has that drive to be successful.”
Mr. Curry, who is married with a son and a baby on the way this month, said he could not imagine working in any other industry.
“I enjoy being on a building site and being part of a close team. Obviously within Persimmon you are part of a much bigger team, but people really come together to do their best for the company.
“Most of us have progressed through the group and get a lot out of working for Persimmon plus, at the end of the day, I just like building houses, that is what really makes me tick,” he added.