Williams Tarr Construction is celebrating thanks to Trainee Site Manager Josh Makin who has successfully achieved his HNC in Construction qualification.

After gaining a wealth of experience working alongside the existing Williams Tarr Construction Site Managers, Josh is now all set to take on a project of his own, with the support of the experienced Williams Tarr management team.

The company, which has paid for Josh to study part-time whilst working, is excited to see Josh continue to grow in capability as he builds on the knowledge and experience that he already has. Having gained site management skills by assisting on a selection of industrial, commercial and retail projects, Josh’s experience is already vast and provides him with a solid base to work from.

Josh’s current role is a long way away from his original profession, within the hospitality industry.

Having started work in 2014 for the Retreat Bar & Grill, Bolton, Josh worked his way up within the company to Restaurant Manager before realising himself that he would prefer a career in construction management instead.

Proactive in his approach, Josh applied and paid for the initial Site Supervisors course himself, before approaching Williams Tarr Construction for some work experience during one of his holiday periods. Following this work experience, Williams Tarr Construction offered Josh a trainee position after seeing the potential that he had.

Josh studied on a part-time basis at Bolton Community College. Referring to his course, Josh said “our teacher was very knowledgeable and had lots of industry experience that he used when delivering his lessons. We were taught using the most up-to-date information available and because of that I’ve been able to use this knowledge to make immediate contributions at work.”

Upon completing his course, we decided to ask Josh a few questions to further understand why he is passionate about working within construction. Here’s what he said:

Q: Why did you choose to train and work within construction?

I have always had an interest in construction from an early age and my father, who has worked as a Quantity Surveyor his whole life, has had an influence on me and encouraged me to get into the industry

Q: What do you see as the main difficulties and challenges for the future within the construction industry?

One of the main difficulties will be a skilled labour shortage, fewer young people are getting into trades such as bricklaying and as the older generations begin to retire, we will see these shortages affecting projects in the future.

Q: What are your favourite parts of your job?

I like being on site, I enjoy the hands on feel you get when you see how the decisions you make influence the job.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I hope to be running large projects of my own having worked along side the very experienced Site Managers that work at Williams Tarr.

Q: What do you think it takes to be a successful Site Manager?

I think planning is one of the most important skills a site manager can have, ensuring work is co-ordinated and organised, making sure that materials do not run out and there is always enough labour on site to keep to the programme. You also need the ability to think on your feet and make the right decisions quickly.