Anthony Hadley has never looked back since taking a career change at the age of 23.
Having spent two years working for a local engineering firm, Anthony had already set his sights on becoming a gas engineer.
But he was only willing to take the plunge once had he spotted the right opportunity
That moment came in November 2019 after he successfully applied to become an apprentice gas engineer with LiveWest.
A little over 14 months later and Anthony is brimming with pride as he installs boilers and carries out gas safety checks for customers all over the South West.
For Anthony, the ability to make a difference to somebody’s life is his daily driver. And the positive feedback he had from customers makes his career decision all worth it.
Anthony, 25, said: “I am still relatively young, but a career change can be unsettling however old you are.
“But I can honestly say I have never looked back since joining LiveWest. I absolutely love it.
“The support has been outstanding, and you receive the very best guidance and help along the way.
“I have been lucky enough to get involved with installs as well as working on the servicing side of the job.
“The way the apprenticeship is structured means you get that hands-on practical experience and you are given the encouragement to give things a go.
“My mentor is Joel Morris and he has been fantastic with me. Your mentor is with you all the time, but you are given scope to get involved with every kind of job.
“The biggest sense of accomplishment I feel is when a customer rings in to pass on their compliments about a job you have carried out.
“I am just glad to be able to help people, that’s why I do this job. It’s all about providing a positive experience for the customer and making a difference to their homes and their lives.”
Anthony started his apprenticeship just five months before the outbreak of coronavirus which caused the nation to be placed into lockdown.
But his apprenticeship has remained on track thanks to the safety measures implemented by LiveWest for colleagues to be able to visits customers’ homes.
And he is appreciative to LiveWest for the lengths they have gone to in order to keep both customers and colleagues safe.
Anthony added: “Everything from a safety perspective is covered. We are given all the relevant PPE equipment and the communications to the customers is really clear and easy to understand.
“These are challenging times for everybody, and our number one priority is to protect our customers when we are in their homes.
“We have rolled out coronavirus tests which I signed up to straight away as I have got vulnerable members in my family bubble. It is a huge safeguard for us and another way the organisation is keeping people safe.”
The 30-month apprenticeship provides Anthony with a mix of hands-on practical experience with one day a week at college for the theory part of the course.
The support he has received from LiveWest has allowed him to continue his college education remotely after he moved into a new flat with his partner.
Anthony added: “The support has been 10 out of 10. Myself and my partner moved to a flat in Cullompton and I was struggling to get internet to complete my college work.
“LiveWest provided me with a laptop so I could take part in the college Zoom meetings. That sums up the help and support you are given. It is those little touches which make all the difference.
“Once I finish my apprenticeship, I really want to remain at LiveWest and work my way up to hopefully management one day.
“For the time being, I am just enjoying learning new things every day and being part of a brilliant team.”