Northampton decorator and apprentice ambassador praises positive impact of young workers on his business.
An award-winning Northampton-based painter and decorator who has helped 15 local apprentices make their first start in the trade has praised the positive impact that mentoring young workers has brought to his business.
“Working with young people gives me purpose and it’s really satisfying to see them learn and grow – and it helps keep me young too” says Mike Poole, who has been welcoming apprentices at his business, Mike Poole Decorators, for the last 17 years.
Mike has built up a reputation as an ambassador of apprentices and is passionate about developing the painting and decorating skills of young people and new joiners to the industry. And with the launch of National Apprenticeship Week, he is continuing to share his expertise with his two latest hires, Max and Oscar, who are currently completing their three-year apprenticeships at colleges in Bedford and Northampton.
“We’ve been supporting Max and Oscar as they complete their college courses, helping them to learn practical skills such as painting and sanding and how to run a business. Oscar’s painting technique has come on leaps and bounds, and I’m now mentoring Max on how to run private projects and do quotes, as he wants to be self-employed and run his own business in the next month or so.”
Training
A former estate agent of 20 years, Mike made a career change to painting and decorating in 2004, gaining NVQ qualifications at Tresham College in Corby. After completing his training, he was encouraged by the college to start teaching other students one day a week. Mike says; “As part of the teaching, I also ended up doing assessments for local apprentices and it became something I really enjoyed doing.”
Ever since taking on his first apprentice in 2005 while training at the college, Mike has always had at least one apprentice working with him at any one time. As a Dulux Select Decorator and ambassador of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), he has been able to pass his skills and expertise on to the next generation of painters and decorators.
“We have helped train a mix of students – male, female, young, mature and those with additional needs. We welcome anyone who’s looking to gain work experience. Once one of our apprentices has completed their course, we help to find them a place with another decorator in town. It helps get them into work quickly and frees up a space for us to help another apprentice.”
Mike is an active member of local training and college learning groups in Northampton and Bedford, working with teachers and employers in the town to offer work experience opportunities for those looking to start their career in painting and decorating. He adds; “A number of the academies and colleges have career days coming up for National Apprenticeship Week, and I’ll be attending them to see if we can offer any work placements or work experience. I often arrange mock work interviews for students looking to train with us, as it helps build their confidence and gives them a better idea about the kind of work they’ll be doing with us.”
Dedication
Mike’s tireless dedication to supporting and developing apprentices saw him scoop the Apprentice Mentor of the Year accolades at the Dulux Select Decorators Awards 2021. He says he now wants to continue sharing his knowledge and wisdom with more young workers and new industry joiners to help build the painters and decorators of the future.
“I’m a father and grandparent, and I always look to pass on life skills – as well as practical skills – to those transitioning from school to the workplace for the first time, which can often be a challenging time. The apprentices learn from me and, in turn, I’m learning from them about the new techniques they’ve studied at college or getting a different perspective on life and work. That helps to build my confidence and self-esteem, and it gives me a great deal of satisfaction.”
Main photograph: Max and Mike Poole