26th June 2024
Multi-trade Apprentice Gains Distinction!
Radu Kaunas, an Apprentice Multi-trader, recently achieved a Distinction in his Property Maintenance Operative Apprenticeship.
Radu joined Axis in September 2022. While training with our experts on-site, Radu also spent one day a week at the Bexley Campus of London South East Colleges. Living locally in Thamesmead, he primarily works on our Peabody contract.
We asked Radu to share his experiences and insights about his day-to-day work and his apprenticeship as a whole.
Describe your typical day, Radu, please
Since I live nearby, I am usually picked up, and we head to our first job. We check the PDA for the required tasks, assess what needs to be done, and then complete the job. I ensure we have all the necessary tools, which include a variety of equipment like circular saws, drills, SDS drills, multi-tools, jigsaws, and hands tools.
What type of work do you do?
As a multi-trader, I handle a range of tasks, including plumbing in kitchens and bathrooms, tiling, and installing toilets, etc. I also do carpentry work, such as fitting doors, kitchen units, and worktops. We often replace damaged items with identical ones, working primarily in people’s homes.
Prior to joining us, you were at Sixth Form College (Harris Garrard Academy in Thamesmead, Erith) doing A Levels. So what made you want to become an apprentice?
I didn’t want to go to university without a clear plan. I always enjoyed doing repairs around the house and wanted to expand my knowledge. When my teachers pushed us to make decisions about our future, and I received an email about apprenticeships at Axis, it seemed like a good opportunity. While most of my friends went to university, some chose careers in construction as well.
Tell us about the people at Axis who help you the most.
I’d say the operatives I work with daily because they teach me everything. There are many of them, but I report to Carl Taylor Smith, my supervisor.
And what do you think helped you get a Distinction?
I think because of my hard work, eagerness to learn, and open-mindedness. I don’t pretend to know everything and always strive to learn more, knowing that I’ll be doing the job myself after the apprenticeship.
What advice would you give new apprentices at Axis?
Do your best, stay focused, and attend all your lessons.
Is there something you’re particularly glad to have learnt?
There’s a lot of things that I have learnt, but I’m especially glad to have learnt about kitchens fitting. It’s a useful skill for both work and personal projects at home. Plastering is still challenging for me because it requires a perfect finish and correct timing, unlike plumbing, which is more straightforward for me, but practice makes perfect.
Would you recommend an apprenticeship?
Yes, it offers a secure career path and better job prospects compared to university, where you might end up with debt and you aren’t always guaranteed a job opportunity.
Were you pleased when you got a Distinction?
I was surprised. I was nervous about the exam, but by focusing and listening to my tutor, I managed to achieve it.
What do you see your next stages as? Setting up your own business? Another apprenticeship?
For now, I’d rather just start working with Axis once I get my driving licence, so that I can have more freedom and get even more experience.
The keys to the van before long?
Yeah, hopefully. And then I can be going out on my own. That’s what I’m thinking of doing next.
