Apprenticeships are often associated with young people just leaving school – but they can also offer a fantastic opportunity for more mature career changers to find their perfect fit. For Jack Tanner, 29, an apprenticeship in carpentry at David Wilson Homes has set him on the path to a fulfilling career and a brighter future.

“I had been working in retail for a long time, but I just found it so boring,” says Jack, who is now based at David Wilson Southern Counties’ Kilners Grange development in Tongham, Surrey. “What I really enjoyed was my hobby of whittling and carving wood, and I really wanted to turn that into my career.” Jack started browsing the Government’s website for apprenticeship vacancies, hoping to find something suitable that might help him to change direction, and was delighted to find a local vacancy that gave him the chance he was looking for.

Jack started out working at the Cricket Field Grove estate in Crowthorne, then, when that was complete, he moved to David Wilson Southern Counties’ Kilners Grange development in Tongham, a small village close to Guildford, around 20 minutes’ from Crowthorne. For four days each week he worked on site alongside the carpentry sub-contractors, learning first-hand everything about the trade, while the other day was spent in college. “Working on site was very responsible,” he says. “I took on a whole range of jobs, but particularly working on the stud walls of the homes.

“While I was in college I learned lots of theory, as well as mastering some of the trickier aspects of carpentry that you can’t really practice easily on site, like doing dovetail joints,” he said. Jack’s hard work at college meant he gained an NVQ and diploma in carpentry, giving him the choice of carrying on with a Level 3 or management qualification if he wished to. However, what he enjoyed the most was that connection of working wood, so he chose to take a full time role in the industry.

After having spent so much time with Woodhart, the sub-contractor working on Kilners Grange, Jack applied to become part of the team there and was delighted to take up a full-time role the very day after his apprenticeship ended. “I’m so happy to be working in a job that I love, and I plan to continue learning and progressing within carpentry – I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity of taking on the apprenticeship and would certainly recommend it to anyone else who is considering a career change,” says Jack. “My five-year plan now is to save up for a house of my own and think about starting a family, as I now I now have a solid career ahead of me.”

Kimberley Benson, Sales and Marketing Director for David Wilson Southern Counties, comments: “Our apprenticeship scheme enables both school leavers and more mature candidates the opportunity to find a career that they love, and develop practical skills in a real-world environment alongside studying in college for the qualifications they need to succeed. It’s very rewarding to see people like Jack learning the craftsmanship that will enable them to build a future in the industry, and we look forward to working with him for many years to come. We offer apprenticeships in a range of areas, including bricklaying, carpentry, joinery and site management, helping to support the construction industry, and we always welcome new applications.”

David Wilson Southern Counties’ development at Kilners Grange is a small project of 100 two- to five-bedroom homes in Tongham, a small Surrey village close to Guildford and Farnham with easy access to the Surrey Hills for walking and cycling. The Built for Life award-winning development features open spaces and play areas, along with electric vehicle charging points to encourage a green and healthy lifestyle.

Phase two of the development has recently launched and has been selling well, with 85% of homes now sold. Properties currently available range from three-bedroom semi-detached homes, with prices starting from £474,995.