We catch up with 17-year-old Reuben Daly, a second-year apprentice with Mitie who is studying at City of Glasgow College.
What’s your background?
I’m from Airdrie and I went to St Margaret’s High School. I couldn’t wait to leave and get a job to make some money though. I always preferred working with my hands and I enjoyed woodwork, so while still at school, I completed a Bosch training course at their training centre at Eurocentral in Motherwell and got on well.
My dad works as an Operations Manager for Mitie, so he arranged for me to start there as a trainee – I was 15, so not able to work properly at that point. Things went well and the school allowed me to leave slightly early as I was guaranteed an apprenticeship with Mitie when I turned 16. There are six other apprentices in my year but 12 across the Glasgow branch.
My brother, Marvin, is also an apprentice (fourth year) with Mitie, so my mum is delighted as our house is perfectly decorated.
Where are you today and what are you up to?
I’m currently in Milngavie, working on empty (void) council properties, bringing them up to standard for new tenants to move in to. Mitie has the maintenance contract with East Dunbartonshire Council and we go in and tidy up the voids for the next occupier.
They can be pretty roughed up when we go in, so there’s lots of prepping to do – filling holes, gunning cracks and gaps and sanding – before you even lift a paintbrush. Today we are painting gloss on the woodwork.
How is your apprenticeship going?
I’m in my second year and will move into third year in October. It’s going really well. I am studying at City of Glasgow College and I get a lot of support from my lecturers and the rest of the class.
I was put forward for the Built Environment Awards by my lecturers and won Apprentice of the Year. I also won Apprentice of the Year at the SDF Awards in March. It’s been a real confidence booster.
What skills are you learning?
I’ve learned a lot. I can cut in and roll and I can undercoat and gloss. I’ve done some taping too, as my dad was building some new walls at home. I would love to have a go at spraypainting – I’ve tried it at college already and I liked it. My college lecturers say
I am pretty good at wallpapering. I don’t know why but I just seem to have an aptitude for it. I normally finish wallpapering before everyone else, so I go around and help the other students.
I am in the middle of decorating my room and I have some metallic-effect paper picked out and ready to hang on one of the walls. The ceiling is dark grey, the coving is white and the walls are mid-grey. I love the fact that I can just go into a room, prepare it, paint it and stand back and admire the work.