Ryan Tobin is celebrating 10 years as a company director after laying the foundations of a successful business with our Chorley based Lancashire division.
The 33-year-old from Adlington, near Chorley, learned his trade as a bricklayer when he became an apprentice with us 15 years ago.
And Ryan says: “I owe a lot to Redrow because, not only did they give me my start those years ago, they introduced me to my business partner, Martin Carroll, who was my mentor and have continued to support our business ever since.
“An apprenticeship was the best foundation I could have had.
“Like Redrow, Martin demanded the best, and second best would never do. If it was wrong, you’d take it down and do it again, even if you had to do that four times until the quality was right.”
And he added: “There was and is a loyalty. Redrow has encouraged me, from the moment I was taken on as an apprentice to becoming a Redrow contractor. It’s like a family and everyone looks out for you.”
We’ve inspired generations of tradespeople – and other staff members – through our apprenticeship programme, and support them to fulfil their potential. We also provide support to many SMEs - including contractors and suppliers - for our developments across Lancashire.
“It’s about giving individuals the best start and encouraging them to be top tradesmen and women, who can carry out quality work and craftsmanship,” says Keith Collard, construction director.
“But it’s also about ensuring a flow of highly skilled people into the industry to ensure that it continues to thrive as a whole.”
Father-of-two Ryan – he is married to Christina with whom he has two children, Louis, six, and Sophia, five – joined our Lancashire division at 18 after studying public services at Runshaw College in Leyland.
Keen to get a trade under his belt, he contacted us because of our reputation, he says, and was taken on by our previous ‘Apprentice Champion’ award winner Anne Collard.
Ryan was employed by us but mentored by one of our longest standing contractors, brickwork specialists MP Carroll Ltd, for whom he is now co-director.
“I worked on about four sites during my three-year apprenticeship including Buckshaw Village. I worked alongside Martin and it was clear he was well-thought of, and that we had a connection.”
When Ryan completed his apprenticeship, we were so impressed that we wanted to take him on and develop his skills further as trainee site manager. And, although Ryan decided that wasn’t the way to go for him, that connection and support has never faltered.
Ryan explains: “I did consider a career as a site manager, but I wanted to stay with bricklaying as that’s my trade. You do it to set yourself up for life, and it was like they say when you pass your driving test, then you learn to drive. I wanted to do that with bricklaying, to pick up my pace while still achieving the quality.”
At 21, he was taken on by Martin and two of the first sites he worked on as a contractor were Sandhurst Gardens in Chorley and then Buckshaw Village.
As work increased, Ryan became more involved with the running of MP Carroll Ltd, before becoming a partner at the age of 23. Before lockdown they had a workforce of 90 and that is still 70 after a difficult 18 months throughout the pandemic.
They have just finished working on Sanderling Park in Formby for us and continue to work at Bridgewater View in Mosley Common, Greater Manchester, with hopes of further sites soon.
Although MP Carroll have contracts with other major housebuilders too, Ryan admits with us ‘it’s like coming home’.
He adds: “When I joined Redrow it was like a family – that’s how they taught us. And it’s not changed. We know the directors and have built relationships with the site managers; we know what’s expected and we are used to working for them, pushing for awards and aiming for the best. We can rely on each other.
“I owe Redrow for that apprenticeship, that start, and for encouraging Martin and I when we became partners. It’s now 10 years and that’s cause for celebration.”
For more information on starting a career with us through our apprenticeship schemes visit www.redrowcareers.co.uk.
To find out more about our Lancashire developments see www.redrow.co.uk/lancashire
