Ben joined Stancold in early 2021, only to find out two days later that he’ll be working for CREST, helping to shape the future of our cleanrooms & pharma cold stores specialist division.
“All the guys had a combined experience of many years building cleanrooms. I haven’t even heard that word before looking at Stancold’s website. ‘No pressure at all’ – I thought,” Ben says. “Every company says apprentices are essential. But most wouldn’t let an apprentice take real ownership of their job role. I appreciate that kind of trust from my more experienced colleagues.”
“As soon as I spoke to Ben about taking on the role within the CREST team, I could tell straight away he was the right man for the job,” says Lee, CREST’s Construction Director. “He has proven this tenfold, developing a real skill for tracking costs, project coordination and implementing live sheets to mitigate any unnecessary losses to the business.”
In the cleanroom industry, one administrative mistake can cause a domino effect and lead to losing time and money. Bob, our Senior Design and Coordination Manager, oversaw Ben’s apprenticeship and can’t say he ever had to step in and control damage. “Honestly, I probably wouldn’t be able to dedicate as much time to design meetings and implementing Revit into our workflow if I wasn’t confident he could handle the admin side of our duo. Fair play to Ben – he put on his big-boy pants quickly. ”
Fast forward to mid-2023, Ben has now finished his apprenticeship. He passed with distinction and continues his involvement with CREST as a fully-fledged Project Coordinator. “It took longer than I expected, everything because of the pandemic. It does feel great to finally get rid of the ‘apprentice’ in my job title. Adds weight and credibility in an industry filled with professionals twice my age,” he says.
What’s next for him? More of the same. Ben has already been learning Revit and all the aspects of the business during his time as an apprentice. “I’ve always said I am wearing the CREST badge with pride. It is my first real job, and I am very fortunate it all clicked on the first try. Excited for more.”
Congratulations, Ben, and thank you.
The CREST & Stancold Family.
