Plumbing student Joshua D’Auria has returned to Gower College Swansea for the new term with a Young Apprentice of the Year award under his belt.
He scooped the award over the summer at the Swansea Bay Young Achievers event, held in association with Nation Hits.
The award, and the nomination from his lecturers, represented a real turnaround for Josh who had no formal qualifications when he joined the college.
“Josh had dropped out of school at 15 but we decided to give him a chance at interview as he had found an employer and his practical skills were good,” says lecturer Ron Stephens. “By his own admittance, Josh had fallen in with the wrong crowd which had affected his education, employment prospects and family life.”
After starting a new relationship, Josh settled down and decided to pursue a vocational course at college. He now juggles his training with family commitments but says it is all worth it as he has qualified as a Level 2 plumber and is about to begin his Level 3 course at the Tycoch campus.