Housebuilding and me: Hemant Patel of Durkan

Apprenticeships are essential to the housebuilding industry, and as Hemant Patel from developer and contractor Durkan tells us, they are a great way of learning and provide a great path into a construction career.

Please tell us a little about yourself, your apprenticeship and your current role.

The apprenticeship was a CTI (Construction Training Initiative) scheme, working as a trainee site manager at Bounds Green in North London. The scheme was run by Notting Hill Housing, but about a year in I was given the chance to complete the apprenticeship with Durkan. I was able to stay at Bounds Green throughout and maintain the relationships I’d developed in my first year, which was a bonus.

The site work quickly taught me the skills I had to develop – I learned how to manage people using different techniques and was given a first insight into project management. A really important part of the apprenticeship for all of us was learning how to become an effective part of a team on site. After I finished Durkan made me an assistant site manager and now I’m site managing at a project called Western Avenue in East Acton.

As an apprentice, how did you fit in with the team on site?

I worked closely with other apprentices on site, as my main role as a trainee was to manage the work of those on different courses. We were all part of the same scheme and learned to work together to get work done on time.

I was also shadowing a senior Durkan site manager which was really helpful.  I learned a lot from him as an apprentice and still speak to him on a day-to-day basis even now. Working with him was eye-opening, he had lots of experience and I was picking up knowledge from him every day. It’s one of the relationships which has been really important to my development.

Have you always been keen on a career in construction?

Yes, I was keen on a career in construction from a young age. The big machines on sites always fascinated me – I wanted to learn more about how they work and what they were doing. My father is a civil engineer and he got me my first job on site during the summer when I was 17. After this I continued to work on site with different companies and moved to an agency as a ground worker, before starting a BTEC when I decided I wanted to pursue another profession within construction. I’ve never really wanted to change paths.

What school/college studies did you do before applying for the apprenticeship?

I left school at 17 to start working as a labourer and groundworker, then went back to college at 22 to do a BTEC in construction and the built environment. As it turned out it was the college course which led to the opportunity to start on the CTI scheme, I was able to complete it and move on to studying for the apprenticeship.

Did you get a lot of advice/opinion from family/friends/school/college about what working in construction/housebuilding would be like?

I did speak to people about it. As I said, I’ve got family in the industry so they were able to offer guidance. The thing I remember most was the advice to find a sector within construction which would be better for my long-term prospects. I’d worked for a few years as a labourer but I was always aware that the more physical the task the less chance there is for longevity. That was one of the reasons why the opportunity to go into site management seemed to be the right move.

Was it easy to apply for an apprenticeship, and do you think you have particular strengths that got you selected?

I first got the opportunity through my college course. A lot of my BTEC was focused on coursework and it was through this work that I was offered a place on the apprenticeship. I was proud that the coursework helped me get picked out, and by the second interview most of the conversation was about where and when I’d get started.

I think the experience I already had of working on sites played a part, especially in giving me the opportunity to go into site management. There were a number of different courses on offer, but it was this experience which got me a place studying as a site manager.

Apprenticeships mean you ‘earn while you learn’ – but is it easy to fit in college with working on site?

It’s not easy – there can be long days and you have to learn to manage time effectively – but it’s worthwhile. It’s never simple to manage education while working full time and trying to balance coursework and site work means you can be pulled from pillar to post on occasion. The apprenticeship involved more in-depth coursework than I’d experienced with the BTEC and it was important for me to stay on top of the off-site work to get everything done.

What do you enjoy most about working for Durkan?

I like the fact that no two days are ever the same. I’m learning new things every day about the people I’m working with and the jobs we’re doing, while building up experience on site. Every day is a new challenge which is great – I like challenges.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

The next step for me is project management, then moving on to contracts management. Everyone would love to be a construction director at some point but I’ll take things one step at a time! For now, I’m concentrating on my work at Western Avenue and developing the skills I need to progress.

Do you have any advice for a young person considering a construction apprenticeship?

Stick to it. Think of it as an opportunity to get your foot in the door and learn something. If you keep your head down and work hard opportunities will come at the end of it.