Champion job: Amos Group director Will Thomson (left) congratulates bricklayer Jonathan Bourne on his selection for the WorldSkills championships in Japan, as current and former apprentices raise their hats in salute.

 

 

Champion brickie is bound for Japan

May 2007

Champion bricklayer Jonathan Bourne, who works for the Amos Group, will wield his trowel for Great Britain when he competes in the skills ‘Olympics’ in Japan.

Twenty-year-old Jonathan has been in intensive training in the run-up to the WorldSkills championships taking place at Shizuoka in November.

His selection for the Great Britain team comes Jonathan won gold in the UK Skills finals in March. It is the latest accolade for the bricklayer who was named North West Apprentice of the Year 2006, won the Junior SkillBuild title at regional and national level and was previously silver medallist in the senior SkillBuild contest.

“I can’t wait to get out to Japan, although I know it’s going to be tough. Before then I will be working hard on my speed and accuracy to improve my skills,” said Jonathan, who lives in Stoke on Trent.

Amos Group is backing its star ‘brickie’ by funding six weeks’ dedicated training in preparation for the event.

“We are proud of Jonathan’s achievement,“ said director Will Thomson. “His success is a credit to his hard work and determination. He has brought honour to us and to the Moorlands.”

Jonathan, who achieved NVQ level 2 after a three-year apprenticeship at Stoke on Trent College, is setting the pace for other young tradespeople at a company committed to training. The Amos Group’s 100-strong workforce includes eleven apprentices and a further six will join this summer.

“We firmly believe in giving local young people a chance,” Will Thomson said. “We aim to equip them with skills for a lifelong career. At the same time, we are growing our own workforce to serve our rapidly expanding business.”

The group’s training policy contrasts with concerns at national level about a shortage of training opportunities in construction.

“The proportion of apprentices on our workforce is well ahead of many larger construction companies which have tended to cut back on training their own people and rely on subcontractors instead,” he continued.

A Stoke on Trent College spokesman said: “There’s a national shortage of trained people in the construction industry, but the Amos Group is helping to meet the shortfall in North Staffordshire.”

He added: “The NVQ course puts a strong emphasis on health and safety. Proper training like this is helping to raise standards in the industry and the Amos Group sets a fine example with its training policies.”

This summer’s new batch of apprentices – three bricklayers and three joiners – were chosen from a steady stream of young people who approach the group about job opportunities.

“We always have many more applicants than vacancies so we can choose the ones that show real dedication and enthusiasm – just like Jonathan,” said Will Thomson.