After finishing his A-Levels and leaving school, Jack Stephens wasn’t sure which direction he wanted his career to go in, but after spending just 18 months working for Taylor Wimpey Bristol as a Management Trainee, he’s discovered exactly where he’s heading.
Jack is just months away from completing a HNC course in Construction & the Built Environment at the City of Bristol College and hopes this September to begin a degree in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management at the University of the West of England.
“The Management Trainee course requires me to spend four months working in each different sector of the Taylor Wimpey business,” explains Jack (19). “I’ve been gaining experience in everything from technical design and engineering to commercial management and sales, with the view that once I’ve spent time in all areas I will then choose what to specialise in.
“I’m still deciding what I want to focus on in the future, but I’ve enjoyed working in all of the different divisions so far.
“I finish my college course in June and, grades permitting I will be starting at university in September, studying part-time for three years to gain more experience.”
Jack spends one day a week studying and four days working at Taylor Wimpey’s offices.
“When I started the course I had just completed three A-Levels, and while I really enjoyed it, I wasn’t sure at that time what I wanted to do,” says Jack.
“A lot of my friends had decided what they wanted to do and many of them went on to university, but I didn’t want to rush into a decision in case it was the wrong one.
“I decided to approach various construction companies to see the opportunities that were available to me. I received a few offers but Taylor Wimpey was the one that stood out for me, due to its quality of training and career opportunities going forward.”
Jack is currently one of three management trainees at Taylor Wimpey Bristol.
“I’ve been based primarily in the office, so far, but working directly with a number of sites across the region. Next, I will be moving into the production side of the company and working directly on site at either the Scholars Chase in Filton or Somerdale in Keynsham” continues Jack.
“Taylor Wimpey have been a great company to work for – they’ve helped someone like me who had no clue what to do by pointing me in the right direction.
“The course has allowed me to realise that a job in construction isn’t just about getting your hands dirty – of course that’s part of it, but it’s helped me to gain experience and knowledge through college training and taught me how to put things into practice.
“Everyone is willing to help and give you their time and it’s definitely opened a lot of doors for me – I’ve spoken to other people who have worked for Taylor Wimpey in the past and they’ve said their training is second to none.
“Doing this course has definitely given me more confidence as a person. There’s a huge interface of people to deal with, from customers and subcontractors to lawyers, so I’ve had to tailor myself and adapt to those different situations, so what used to seem like a daunting task definitely doesn’t anymore.”