Award-winner Matthew Clayton benefits from 'brilliant' apprentice partnership with Bagnalls

The national painting and decorating contractors will celebrate their 150th-year anniversary next month with Level 2 apprentices currently accounting for around 75 of their 650-strong workforce.

So, here at York College & University Centre, we are proud to have a long-standing relationship with the Yorkshire-based firm that has resulted in an impressive line of talented apprentices going on to make a big impact at Bagnalls.

One of the latest to follow this pathway is Matthew Clayton, whose excellent efforts during his apprenticeship not only saw him leave College with a full-time job, but also a hat-trick of awards.

After being named Painting and Decorating Apprentice of the Year and winning the prestigious Guild of Building Bronze honour at our 2024 Construction Awards Night, Matthew went on to scoop the Apprentice of the Year prize at our annual REACH (Rewarding Excellence and Celebrating Hard Work) Awards Ceremony.  

A modest Matthew admits he was “very shocked” by his terrific trophy haul, but his employers were unsurprised by his merited recognition, including Bagnalls’ Site Supervisor Adam Townsley.

“It’s all about Matthew’s work ethic for me and we were always receiving feedback from College that he was exactly the same there,” Adam pointed out. “His timekeeping is superb.

“He’s always at work on time – normally quite a bit before – and he’s just really willing to get stuck in, learn and give things a go. He also follows instructions really well and is polite.”

Bagnalls’ Contracts Manager Jonny Miller is in full agreement with Adam on Matthew’s award-winning traits.

“If you didn’t stop Matthew for his break, he’d happily work through,” Jonny added. “You have to tell him it’s dinner time and, then, he’s always saying, ‘Just give me five minutes to finish this’.

“He also always abides by rules and regulations that might be in place at the different sites he is working on.”

Bagnalls’ Human Resources Director Ellie Jobes, meanwhile, explained that Matthew’s commitment to carving out a career in the profession caught her eye during the company’s recruitment process.

“When we’re looking to take on an apprentice at Bagnalls, I think the most important thing we’re looking for is someone who is willing to work hard and somebody who knows this is what they want to do as a career, because we know that there are opportunities for people to progress if they want them,” Ellie said. “Certainly, when Matthew came forward, the fact that he had already gained some experience within College was really important, because it meant that we knew that he was interested in painting and decorating as a long-term career.”

Matthew, now 21, completed five years as a York College student last summer, having first enrolled on a Construction Multi-Skills course and quickly going on to specialise in Painting and Decorating, securing Level 1 and Level 2 vocational qualifications before moving on to his two-year apprenticeship.

On why Bagnalls believe their professional relationship with College is such a productive one, Jonny added: “We find that probably nine out of ten of the apprentices we get from York College are good and reliable and the relationship we have in terms of direct communication with tutors helps us massively.

“They answer any queries that we have got, whether that’s to do with timetables or exams, and that level of communication is key. We can also let the tutors know if we feel an apprentice needs more tuition in a specific area with a confidence that they’ll then get it from College, where they aren’t bound by potential time deadlines on a job.”

Ellie also praised College’s assessment efficiency, as well as the quality of learning and well-being support available for apprentices on Campus.

“York College are very good at getting apprentices through to their End-Point Assessments on time, having been thorough at the Mid-Point Assessment stage,” she declared. “Having a college that also quickly addresses problems and supports us to deal with any issues is really helpful, because we know that a lot of young people coming through apprenticeships, particularly in the post-Covid world, can experience struggles. 

“Some students have neurodiversity issues and, knowing that we have an organisation that will support those apprentices, is brilliant because it means it doesn’t need to become a barrier to them progressing.”

Having applied for the vacancy after seeing it advertised on Indeed, Matthew has appreciated all of the encouragement he has received from College and his employers – a dual support network that can be one of the strongest benefits of serving an apprenticeship.

“There’s been a lot of people who, if I’ve been struggling with a job, will always come and take the time to show me what to do and help me out, which was the same at College,” he said. “College taught me all the different skills that you use on site and that helped me know what to expect day-to-day when I started my apprenticeship. 

“We did a lot of cutting in, rolling, sheeting up, masking up, filling and corking, so it was perfect preparation really. Sometimes, the walls at College can be different to those you find on site in terms of the preparation you need before you paint on them, but it was all very good because you get double the advice on how to do stuff. 

“As a company, Bagnalls are always looking to help you out, too. They even send you to their Training Academy, which is like a second college really, and they sort your train tickets and accommodation out if you need to stay over.”

Matthew went on to express his gratitude to College’s GSCE teachers who, alongside his vocational studies, helped him acquire the English pass grade that he needed to successfully complete his apprenticeship.

“The tutors help you out every single day and get you into a position where you’re able to pass your course," he enthused. “It was very important for me to get my English GCSE because I needed it to pass and finish my apprenticeship.”

Whilst he might have completed his apprenticeship, however, Matthew’s educational journey will very much continue as a full-time member of Bagnalls’ staff with the company closely monitoring his ongoing training needs.

“It’s not just a case of you’ve finished your apprenticeship and your training stops,” Jonny explained. “It’s an ongoing progression and, over time, we will be giving Matthew more and more responsibility. 

“He’s now driving, so we’re focussing on getting him driving a Bagnalls vehicle. We also do a lot of working at heights, so he’ll be getting MEWP (Mobile Elevating Work Platform) training to enable him to operate that machinery and work on tower scaffolds. 

“Both myself and Adam came through the apprenticeship more than 20 years ago and are still learning to this day. I also know that, if I want to ask for extra training, it will be there for me with courses put in place or people within the business providing me with it.

“Matthew is obviously only 21 but, if he wants to progress further, the opportunity will definitely be there for him. We can also send apprentices to our Training Academy for a week if they might be struggling in one area like wallpapering, spraying, cutting in or preparation – whatever it maybe.

“It’s not just a case of doing three weeks a year there. Visits can be scheduled anytime if needed.”

Ellie is also proud of the support that the Doncaster-based Training Academy provides and points out that Matthew will benefit from genuine opportunities for career promotion and progression.

“A lot of our apprentices go on to become supervisors and we put in place a programme for aspiring supervisors,” Ellie said. “We want to support people to develop and, hopefully, one day Matthew will be in Adam’s shoes and looking after apprenticeships himself.

“We’re really proud of our Training Academy too and get fantastic feedback about it. It celebrated its 20-year anniversary last year and what we find is that our apprentices tell us how much it benefits them to have opportunities to perfect their skills in very small groups with an experienced trainer – who is himself a former painting and decorating apprentice. They go there to prepare for competitions, too. 

“We also have three directors within the company, as well as a number of branch managers, who started out as painters and decorators and what is really exciting for apprentices now is knowing they have the opportunity to progress and have a long-term career regardless of what their background is. Whether they are male or female or come from a low-income background, they all have an opportunity to progress and do well with our business.”

His College tutor Thomas Hicks, meanwhile, is confident Matthew will fulfil his potential with Bagnalls.

“Matthew showed a great attitude, dedication and determination to succeed within painting and decorating and worked exceptionally hard during his full-time and apprenticeship programmes,” Thomas said. “He was resilient and, above all, an absolute pleasure to teach.

“He excelled in both his theoretical and practical work and has flourished with Bagnalls. He is also polite and punctual with an attention to detail that has improved a great deal.

“His passion for the trade really shines through and he will have a great career in painting and decorating.”

To find a list of our current apprenticeship vacancies, please click here

For information on our Painting and Decorating City and Guilds Diploma Level 2 course, click here

Learn more about Bagnalls and their career opportunities here

You can also gain further information on all our Construction and apprenticeship courses at our next Open Event on Tuesday, April 1st (5.30pm to 7.30pm). Register a place here