Army veteran embarks on plumbing apprenticeship

A former rifleman has transitioned from military service to a plumbing apprenticeship, marking a new chapter with North East-based building services firm John N Dunn Group.

After serving six years with The Rifles regiment, including a tour in Afghanistan, 33-year-old James Morte, from Middlesbrough, decided to pursue a career in the building trades.

Inspired by John N Dunn’s work on a nearby housing project, he joined the company for a one-month trial period and was soon accepted into its four-year apprenticeship programme.

James said: “When I came out of the Army, I wasn’t certain what I wanted to do, but having looked at the different trades within the construction sector, I decided plumbing would be a good option.”

The programme offers a blend of hands-on training and college-based learning at New College Durham, leading to an NVQ Level Three qualification in plumbing and heating.

James added: “The opportunity this has led to will give me the chance to get fully qualified as a plumbing and heating engineer, with the qualification that I’m working towards being at a higher level than you’d usually expect from an apprenticeship.

“I’m really happy with my career choice and want to repay the John N Dunn Group team for the trust they’ve put in me by giving my absolute best to the job.”

With a team of 280 across the UK, John N Dunn Group supports 30 apprentices and recently celebrated recruiting James as its 500th apprentice, demonstrating its commitment to workforce development.

Chairman Stephen Bilclough added: “James’ enthusiasm and aptitude for the  job were clear from the start, and the fantastic feedback we had from our team made offering him an apprenticeship a very easy decision.

“He will get lots of supervision and support as he develops his skills on a range of live projects and we’re confident that he has what it takes to build a successful plumbing career.”

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