The fantastic work of Kian Cleere was celebrated at the Berkeley Group Apprentice Awards on 17 October when he was crowned Best Plumbing Apprentice. Kian, 20, works at Southall Waterside for H2O, which also won an accolade for Best Subcontractor working with Berkeley Group. Kian’s job involves ensuring that all plumbing and drainage meets the high and exacting standards expected by Berkeley to deliver quality, new homes at the development. Training at one of the biggest regeneration projects in London, Kian has access to top industry professionals and benefits immensely from Berkeley’s hands-on approach to learning.
This win shows the success that people can achieve through industry-focused training programmes and comes on the day that marks one year since the opening of the West London Construction Academy (WLCA) at Southall Waterside. The Academy, a collaboration between Berkeley and West London College, provides state-of-the-art facilities alongside a ‘by industry, for industry’ curriculum. This offers a mixture of on-the-job training and college-based learning to equip students with employable skills to start a career in construction. Kian is one of more than 750 apprentices who play a vital part in delivering Berkeley sites.
On winning the award, Kian said: “I’m honoured to win this award and am very thankful to H2O and Berkeley for the opportunity. Working on a live construction site is the best way to learn and improve, while creating amazing homes for customers to enjoy.
“It’s really reassuring to get advice from colleagues who started off as an apprentice like me and are now managing teams. In years to come, I hope to still be at Southall Waterside inspiring future apprentices.”
Damian Leydon, Operations Director at Berkeley West Thames, said: “It is fantastic to see young people like Kian making the most of invaluable onsite experience, and his achievement demonstrates the importance of our continuing investment in training the next generation. Kian is a great example of the benefits of apprenticeships, both for the people undertaking them and the employers who work with them.”
Individuals interested in pursuing a rewarding career in construction please find out more!
