From Carpentry Apprentice to Driving Construction Innovation: My Reflection on how an Apprenticeship Launched my Career.

As apprenticeship week draws to a close, I reflect on a twenty-something-year journey from an apprentice carpenter to leading the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC), the significance of apprenticeships in shaping future leaders in construction becomes ever clearer. Starting my career with micro business D H Jones Carpentry Services, the experience gained and the challenges I faced were invaluable, teaching me not just the craft of carpentry but also the importance of perseverance, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence.

My engagement in competitions like Skill Build not only honed my skills but also instilled a deep sense of pride and accomplishment, driving me to continue pushing boundaries. Winning the UK Irwin Young Carpenter of the year award consecutively was a testament to the dedication and hard work that apprenticeships encourage. These experiences laid a strong foundation for my academic and professional pursuits, emphasizing the critical role of academic, practical, and experiential training in construction education.? Since 2011, imparting this wisdom and nurturing these competencies has become my vocation. Teaching thousands of students, mentoring WorldSkills competitors to global stages in Brazil, Abu Dhabi, and Russia, and now collaborating on innovative projects with these talented folk, following the journey of my past students is a profoundly rewarding pastime.

Now, leading CWIC, my focus is on bridging the gap between traditional construction practices and the emerging technologies that are shaping our industry. From digital construction techniques to NetZero fabric practices, my mission is to prepare the next generation of construction trades and professionals for the challenges of modernisation and decarbonisation. The work we're doing at CWIC and UWTSD is a commitment to not just keeping pace with industry developments but leading the charge towards a more sustainable, efficient, and innovative construction industry in Wales and beyond.???

Apprenticeships, as I learned firsthand, are not just about learning a trade; they're about developing a mindset of lifelong learning, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence. As we look to the future, it's clear that the construction industry needs more than just skilled hands; it needs thoughtful leaders who are prepared to address the complex challenges of our time. I am proud to be part of this evolving landscape, and I encourage young professionals and students to consider the apprenticeship path as a valuable step toward a rewarding career in construction.

Who'd have thought that a fresh-faced 16-year-old apprentice, starting his journey on a small housing site near Hendy, in West Wales, with one amazing mentor, would see his career develop in such diverse ways from those humble beginnings?? We’re doing well with apprenticeships at all levels, ?but let’s continue to shift perceptions around starting a career via an apprenticeship, showcasing it as an amazing pathway brimming with potential, growth, and innovation in industries far and wide.

??? Wrth i wythnos prentisiaethau ddod i ben, rwy’n edrych n?l a’r ugain mlynedd a’r daith o fod yn brentis saer i arwain Canolfan Arloesi Adeiladwaith Cymru (CWIC), Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant. Mae arwyddocad prentisiaethau wrth lunio arweinwyr adeiladu’r dyfodol yn dod yn gliriach erioed. Gan ddechrau fy ngyrfa gyda busnes bach D H Jones, roedd y profiad a enillais a’r heriau a wynebais yn amhrisiadwy, fe ddysgais nid yn unig crefft gwaith coed, ond hefyd bwysigrwydd dyfalbarhad, arloesi, a mynd ar drywydd rhagoriaeth.

Roedd fy r?l gyda chystadlaethau fel Adeiladu Sgiliau nid yn unig wedi hogi fy sgiliau ond hefyd wedi meithrin ymdeimlad dwfn o falchder a chyflawniad, gan fy ngyrru i barhau i wthio ffiniau. Roedd ennill gwobr Saer y Flwyddyn Irwin Ifanc y DU yn olynol yn dyst i’r ymroddiad a’r gwaith caled y mae prentisiaethau’n ei annog. Gosododd y profiadau hyn sylfaen gref ar gyfer fy ngweithgareddau academaidd a phroffesiynol, gan bwysleisio r?l hanfodol hyfforddiant academaidd, ymarferol a thrwy brofiad mewn addysg adeiladu. Ers 2011, mae rhoi’r doethineb hwn a meithrin y cymwyseddau hyn wedi dod yn alwedigaeth i mi. Mae dysgu miloedd o fyfyrwyr, mentora cystadleuwyr WorldSkills i lwyfannau byd-eang ym Mrasil, Abu Dhabi, a Rwsia, a nawr cydweithio ar brosiectau arloesol gyda’r bobl dalentog, gan ddilyn taith fy nghyn fyfyrwyr yn rhoi pleser i mi.

Nawr, yn arwain CWIC, mae fy ffocws ar bontio'r bwlch rhwng arferion adeiladu traddodiadol a'r technolegau datblygol sy'n siapio ein diwydiant. O dechnegau adeiladu digidol i arferion ffabrig NetZero, r?l fy nghenhadaeth yw paratoi'r genhedlaeth nesaf o grefftau adeiladu a gweithwyr proffesiynol ar gyfer heriau moderneiddio a datgarboneiddio. Mae’r gwaith rydym yn ei wneud yn CWIC a PCYDDS yn ymrwymiad nid yn unig i gadw i fyny a datblygiadau’r diwydiant ond hefyd i arwain y ffordd tuag at ddiwydiant adeiladu mwy cynaliadwy, effeithlon ac arloesol yng Nghymru a thu hwnt. ??

Nid yw prentisiaethau, fel y dysgais yn uniongyrchol, yn ymwneud a dysgu crefft yn unig; maen nhw'n ymwneud a datblygu meddylfryd o ddysgu gydol oes, y gallu i addasu, ac ymrwymiad i ragoriaeth. Wrth inni edrych i’r dyfodol, mae’n amlwg bod angen mwy na dwylo medrus ar y diwydiant adeiladu; mae angen arweinwyr meddylgar sy'n barod i fynd i'r afael a heriau cymhleth ein hoes. Rwy’n falch o fod yn rhan o’r dirwedd esblygol hon, ac rwy’n annog gweithwyr proffesiynol ifanc a myfyrwyr i ystyried y llwybr prentisiaeth fel cam gwerthfawr tuag at yrfa werth chweil ym maes adeiladu.

Pwy fyddai wedi meddwl y byddai prentis 16 oed a wyneb newydd, sy’n cychwyn ar ei daith ar safle tai bach ger Yr Hendy, yng Ngorllewin Cymru, gydag un mentor anhygoel, yn gweld ei yrfa’n datblygu mewn ffyrdd mor amrywiol o’r dechreuadau diymhongar hynny? Rydym yn gwneud yn dda gyda phrentisiaethau ar bob lefel, ond gadewch i ni barhau i newid canfyddiadau ynghylch dechrau gyrfa trwy brentisiaeth, gan ei arddangos fel llwybr anhygoel sy'n llawn botensial, twf ac arloesedd mewn diwydiannau pell ac agos.