HE started his working life as an apprentice joiner with Redrow, and now Curtis Taylor is carving out a promising career in management.
The 29-year old, who’s just become a dad for the first time, celebrates five years as a site manager this summer, the last 12 months of which have been spent heading the team at The Brook in Taylor’s Chase in Warrington.
And, while he never had ideas of being anything other than a tradesman Curtis, from Northwich, says he is delighted that Redrow saw something in him that he didn’t initially see himself – now he’s looking forward to marking his anniversary and continuing to climb up in his career.
Curtis says: “I started off as an apprentice joiner with Redrow after I left school and I never had any ideas of ever being anything other than a joiner, a tradesman, albeit I perhaps considered the possibility of one day working for myself.
“But Redrow clearly saw something in me, and have supported me and encouraged me to develop it and go further. It was a fantastic opportunity.
“They have been so helpful, sending me on all sorts of courses and putting me through my NVQs in site management,” he adds, “and crucially giving me the confidence to realise I could, and can, do it. Since I started with Redrow I have never looked back, and now I’ve got project manager or area construction manager in my sights.”
Curtis, who’s had a little girl, Isabella, with partner Kirsty, has worked on a number of developments, taking up his tools at Woodville Gardens, Hanson Gardens and Kenyon Gardens in Moston before heading to Bridgewater View in Tyldesley and, then, Taylor’s Chase.
Valuing people and inspiring them to achieve is one of the key pillars within the Redrow business, along with creating thriving communities and building responsibly.
Keith Collard, construction director for Redrow Homes (Lancashire), said it was a joy to see people coming through the ranks of the company and help them achieve goals they had never thought possible.
“That is what Redrow is all about,” he confirms, “giving people opportunities and helping them to make the most of them.
“It is in the interest of the individuals to foster and develop a rewarding career, but it’s in Redrow’s interest to invest in them too, and to develop a core team of people who are equally committed to the company, doing an excellent job and building homes that we, and they, can be proud of.
“Curtis showed himself even as a young apprentice to be a good worker and someone who was keen to work hard and put in the effort for all our benefits.”
He adds: “More than 15% of our employees are currently on structured training programmes and Redrow was the first and only housebuilder to achieve the Quality Mark from the British Institute of Learning and Development for the standard of the training we deliver.”
With a year spent at The Brook – alongside which The Oaks is also being created at Taylor’s Chase – Curtis is hoping to see the development flourish. His role as site manager involves a number of tasks from making sure building work is completed on time, to overseeing contractors and ensuring health and safety is paramount.
“It’s far more involvement but I love the job and the sense of achievement I get from it,” concludes Curtis. “The Brook is coming on so well, it’s a popular development and a stand out development and one I’m proud to be a part of.”
