In 2022 we announced our three main suppliers for our repairs and maintenance teams to exclusively source materials. They are Travis Perkins for our main building materials supplies, City Plumbing to be our plumbing and heating materials supplier, and Rexel UK as our electrical supplier.
Dave Findlay, Head of Safer Homes at Abri, said: “We’re aiming for our relationship with Rexel UK to help strengthen the quality, efficiency, and overall performance of our supply chain, to benefit our trades colleagues and our customers living in our homes.
“We’ll be able to standardise our electrical offer to our customers living in our homes at the same time as reducing our carbon footprint through making use of more sustainable materials, as well as implementing intelligent stock level technology to increase our responsiveness to benefit our customers.
“What’s more, Rexel UK has pledged up to £15k to support our community projects as well as work experience and mentoring opportunities exclusively to our customers.”
Rexel’s tool kits
Abri partnered with SERT Training to launch a new training programme for those interested in becoming an electrician in 2022, as a pre-learning course ahead of an electrical apprenticeship.
The six-month paid training programme was a mix of practical training, delivered by SERT, and work experience with one of our qualified electricians. On completion, participants were awarded an LCL Awards Level 3 Certificate In Installing, Testing and Ensuring Compliance of Electrical Installations in Dwellings.
In June 2022, the cohort of SERT trainees received brand new toolkits supplied by our electrical partners, Rexel UK, as part of their social value procurement funding commitment to us to support them on the training scheme. What’s more, on completion of the course, all of the trainees began their Electrical Apprenticeship with Abri.
We caught up with Rhys Crook who took part in the training course.
How did you first become interested in being an electrician?
I’ve always wanted to be an electrician. You’re always thinking about how you can overcome challenges, so you’re never bored. It’s also just a really rewarding job.
How did you find the course, what was the best thing about it?
I’ve been wanting to work for Abri since I left school after I did work experience here. The course is good because you learn so much, but I think it would have been better if it was a bit longer.
What are your plans for the future?
I’d love to be a fully qualified electrician and working full time for Abri.
How does it feel being an Abri customer and working for Abri?
It’s funny living in an Abri home as well as working for Abri because sometimes your work colleagues are in your house doing repairs!
Deb Scarratt, Group Employment Services Manager at Abri, said: “It has been great to work alongside Rexel who have also recruited another of their own apprentices to work on the Abri contract, providing another excellent opportunity for a local young person to train and work for a growing organisation. I am looking forward to working closely with Rexel over the remainder of the contract to create more opportunities for our communities.”
Saying hello to new apprentices
In September 2022 we welcomed Jake Mortimer, Joshua O'Brien, Tyler Pink, Heidi White, Hasan Tarafdar, Fletcher Kilford, Luca Escolar Cole,, Migert Metani, Josh Newman, Mathis Welmant, Stefen Mounter, Liam Samways, James Hook, Storm Frisby, Jack Ford, Rhys Crook, Shea Manning, Luke Holder, Josh Woollacott, Peter Mullany, Sharna Wrigley-Sothcott and Cameron Dey to our HomeCare team as they embarked on technical apprenticeships with us.
And we’ve had some great successes from our qualified apprentices too
Congratulations to Multiskilled Apprentice Luca Martin who has been awarded distinction in his Level 2 Property Maintenance apprenticeship. Here he is pictured with Empty Homes Supervisor, George Fox.
Well done to Multiskilled Apprentice Tom Old who has also passed his Level 2 qualification.