From apprentice plumber to housing group CEO

The chief executive of one of the West Midlands’ largest housing associations has shared his journey from apprentice plumber to business leader, to highlight the value of apprenticeships.

Wayne Gethings, who heads up Housing Plus Group, said he could never have imagined where his career path would take him when he started working on building sites with his father 40 years ago.

Now at the helm of an organisation with almost 2,000 employees, more than 100 of whom are currently undertaking apprenticeships, he remains a passionate advocate for vocational training.

Mr Gethings recalled returning home at 18 years old, after working for two years as a musician, unsure of what his next step would be.

He said: “My father was a builder, he worked for a big well-known construction company in the Midlands at the time. He told me, ‘If you’re living here, you’ve got to come and work with me on the building sites’.

“I thought, if I’m going to go and work on the building sites, how do I make sure that I’m doing something that’s going to pay me well and is going to give me something that I can get motivated by?

“At the time I got into an apprenticeship there was a massive shortage of plumbers and gas fitters. They had just started fitting central heating with gas boilers when I was on the sites, and there was a lack of people who understood how to do that.”

Through his apprenticeship, Mr Gethings was able to learn on the job, while developing the skills and confidence that would continue to open doors for him as his career progressed.

He said: “One of the things it did for me was made me more socially aware of my role as a person in the workplace.

“If you go through an apprenticeship, you will work out that you can learn how to do something quite quickly. But it taught me not only how to do the job, but also how to communicate with people.”

It wasn’t all plain sailing, as Mr Gethings found the theory side of his training more challenging than the practical elements.

He said: “Because of where my career went after that, I wish I had spent a bit more time learning the theory behind it. As I started to want to develop myself further, I felt I had missed that opportunity.

“My advice would be to treat both as equal, because you never know what you’re going to do in the future.”

Now as Group Chief Executive, Mr Gethings recognises what a valuable asset apprentices are to his organisation.

Following the merger of Housing Plus Group and The Wrekin Housing Group last month, the new group has more than 100 employees currently developing their careers through apprenticeships, in everything from traditional trades such as plumbers and electricians to business administration, finance and leadership.

The new group will also be looking for new apprentices in the coming months.

Mr Gethings added: “Apprentices bring in a different dimension. They have decided at some point in their life that they want to learn a new skill, so they’re coming in with a different background and lived experience that helps the organisation to think differently.

“Investing in apprentices is critical to the lifeblood of Housing Plus Group. We cannot be left without that succession of people coming through with the range of skills we need.”

Pic: Group Chief Executive Wayne Gethings on site