We caught up with one of our apprentices, Malav Desai, who is thoroughly enjoying his apprenticeship experience with Fairview New Homes in Colindale.
Malav started work as an Administrative Assistant at Edition, Fairview’s development of apartments in Colindale, in November 2015. Malav said: “Many young people are unaware of how many career opportunities are available in the construction industry, but it is a career path I’d recommend, as I’m really enjoying my role with Fairview New Homes in Colindale. “To find my apprenticeship, I looked through local Barnet schemes via the apprenticeship website and received a call back from K10 Apprenticeships, a training agency. “Peter Bannister, Apprenticeship Manager at K10, said there was the opportunity to work in the construction sector as a trainee business administrator, and it sounded fantastic. “Following some initial assessments, I began a three-day trial with Fairview in Colindale. The first few days were an eye-opener because there was so much going on around me, so I was grateful to Jackie Oberman, the site secretary I report to, who was very helpful.
“Now, after a couple of months on site, I already feel less nervous and have been taking on more responsibility. “What’s great about working with Fairview at Colindale is that there is always something to learn and there’s plenty of opportunities for me to develop as an individual. “Before taking on this position, I’d never stepped foot in an office or site environment before, so this has been completely new to me.
“There is a sense of family on site at Colindale, which makes my apprenticeship very enjoyable. K10 has been very supportive along the way, from helping me complete the initial forms to their visits to the site to see how I am getting on. “I’ve found that this is a very hands-on approach to learning, which I find works well for me. “Initially I was going to work towards the Level 2 apprenticeship framework, but I was put forward for the Level 3 framework because I’ve been getting on so well and taking on various projects. “I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship with Fairview, and I hope to carry on working towards becoming a document controller, administrator or assistant site manager.”
Stephen Brown, Area Construction Manager for Fairview, said: “We are very keen to support young apprentices who live in the borough of Barnet and we have been doing this for a number of years at our previous developments in Colindale. “Taking on apprentices has proven valuable, as it enables them to learn the skills required within their chosen career path while working alongside our experienced team. “Malav was introduced to us by K10 Apprenticeships to work as a trainee business administrative assistant at Edition, and started with us in November. “Since then he has made great progress and has experienced working with our Commercial, Technical and Site Management teams, which has helped him to develop a clear understanding of our business and our construction process on site. “Malav is very motivated and enthusiastic, and his positive approach to his work makes him a great asset to our team in Colindale.”
