Reece believes his apprenticeship is the best decision he ever made for his career

Reece continues to build his career as he takes the next steps to further his skills with an apprenticeship with housing association LiveWest.

After going to college for two years completing an electrical diploma, he decided to continue learning by gaining the qualifications to become an electrician.

While considering other options, Reece decided an apprenticeship was the best way for him to reach his goals within the trades industry.

As a 21-year-old apprentice acquiring a range of skills, he encourages others to give it a try because of many positive benefits that an apprenticeship can bring.

Reece Murtagh, an Apprentice Electrician for LiveWest, said: “I pretty much finished school and decided I wanted to do something hands on, and the electrical side appealed to me.

“It was the most suitable way I was going to make it work. It’s a job that's well-paying whilst I'm getting the qualifications I need to start a career as a tradesman.”

Plymouth-based Reece, studies one day a month at Plympton College and he appreciates through this opportunity he has been able to stay local.

He achieved Level 2 and 3 of the electrician apprenticeship by studying the first two years of his apprenticeship through City College Plymouth, and now is two years into an apprenticeship he is really enjoying.

He added: “I think apprenticeships are most certainly a good thing and they're much more accessible to get into a trade or just anything really.

“An employer wants experience, and an employee might not have that, so an apprenticeship just ticks all the boxes really. You're getting money in your pocket, plus you're getting the qualifications you need and you're building that experience. It's your foundation really.

“I would say just go for it really, don't put any pressure on yourself or stress yourself out about it. Just throw yourself into it and the rest will follow.

“LiveWest has been very flexible, and they made it easy in terms of location. They’re quite understanding and accepting and it’s well organised. I jumped around a bit to begin with, but I’ve settled in nicely now though.

“In terms of apprenticeships even outside of LiveWest, I would say that there's nothing but positive for the individual.”

As National Apprenticeship Week is celebrated across the country, Reece reflects on how the apprenticeship was the best decision he made to develop his career and give him the necessary skills to develop.

Based in LiveWest’s kitchen and bathrooms team, he is finding it fulfilling as the role offers him lots of experience through a variety of homes and schemes.

“Getting the job as a whole was a big achievement for me and it was very competitive, there is only one other apprentice on the electrical team,” added Reece.

“For a long time, I had this anxiety around an expectation being held of me and me not being able to meet it. As I'm essentially a third-year apprentice, that's just rocked up with two to three years’ worth of experience.

“I was essentially a first year when it comes to the actual practical, I was when I started anyway because I hadn't been let loose on the tools. But I'm building my confidence up and I’ve worked on that.

“In hindsight, I should have just gone straight into an apprenticeship, and I wish I had because I'd already be qualified by now. It was almost that I was scared to throw myself into the big wide world, but I'm cracking on with it now.

"If I had applied for the same job when I was 15 or 16, would I have got it? Who's to say that the driving factor me getting employment here was the fact I had those two years of qualifications.

“I’m going to work on my tools, build my confidence and experience because learning how to do the job properly and do it quickly are two different things. Then see where it takes me.”