Having been recently awarded a Distinction after completing his Higher National Diploma (HND) in Construction we’ve taken a look into what brought Andrew Barker, Assistant Site Manager at Farriers Gate, into the industry and what makes him tick.
Andrew’s background from the start highlights clear dedication and knowledge within the construction industry, having begun his career as an Apprentice Electrician in 2001 for Stoke-on-Trent City Council working within the housing, public and commercial sectors. From there Andrew worked his way up to Senior Electrician, enjoying a 20-year stint within the role before progressing up to Electrical Supervisor and then onto Assistant Site Manager, completing many refurbishment and upgrade projects.
Andrew joined us at Shropshire Homes in 2023 as an Assistant Site Manager at Forest Edge, and completed the end of his Higher National Certificate (HNC) within the first 6 months of being here. He soon went on to complete his HND in Construction which we have proudly supported, and are so pleased to see him achieve a Distinction in. Andrew has particularly highlighted the friendly atmosphere of the company since joining us – “Shropshire Homes gave me a warm welcome into the company, everyone from the labourers up to the directors are very approachable and friendly.”
So what’s next for Andrew? With Distinctions achieved in both courses it’s not hard to see that Andrew is very driven to progress within the industry. With his future goal to run a development of his own and to top his HND studies up to a Construction Management Degree, we see Andrew going far within the company.
We at Shropshire Homes believe people join us for a career and not just for a job and this is certainly the case with Andrew. When asked “what sets us apart that made you take the leap to Shropshire Homes?”, Andrew was quick to respond, “Shropshire Homes has a family feel about the way they employ people and construct their houses; they develop high quality bespoke homes within smaller developments in rural settings. The customers are always involved within the building process in order to cater for all their needs. Building traditional brick homes offering a higher spec of build within large plots of land and gardens sets them apart from larger, national volume housebuilders.” It’s great to see such happy and passionate employees, whose love for their craft allows us to build houses of quality and character.
A huge congratulations to Andrew on his achievements so far and we can’t wait to see where his career takes him next!