William is only 21 and already a father of two. He has been studying Carpentry and Joinery at our Greenock Campus for the past three years; starting with the NPA course and then progressing onto the SVQ level 3 course. He’s now working as an apprentice at Andrew G. Miller Joiner & Glazer.
Preparing for the Award required some hard work. William first had to make a video presentation, he was then interviewed by a panel of experts, including Screwfix CEO and, finally, he had to pitch an idea for a new tool: a pair of snips coupled with an electrical tester – a great idea to keep safe when cutting wires! You can watch his inspiring video here:
William is very grateful for the support he has received from his employer and the breadth of skills the College has taught him. He says:
The three years I did at the College really helped me achieve my goal. I was able to train using great equipment and gain the skills I needed. Lecturers were brilliant and really went out of their way to support me whenever I needed. My employer has also been very supportive, giving me time off and access to the workshop to prepare for the Award.
John Clark, WCS Construction Lecturer, knew from day one that William was going to achieve great things. He says: “William is one of the most dedicated students I have ever had. He’s got that energy and eagerness to succeed. He’s extremely passionate about his craft and has a keen eye for details and quality. He always pays careful attention to our feedback and uses it to perfect his work.”
Being Highly Commended at the 2016 Screwfix Trade Apprentice of the Year Award is a great recognition of William’s efforts and talent. He says: “This is a really good moving on point for me, I can take this achievement with me to move forward in my career.”
William is looking forward to studying a fourth year at the College to advance his craft and achieve his dream: setting up his own business and making bespoke furniture pieces, staircases and other joinery pieces to the highest standards.
Being a young dad has never prevented William from chasing his dream – on the contrary, it has given him with two more reasons to thrive. He says: “What really motivate me are my kids. I really want to do well for them. I want to be able to own my own company and pass it down to my family if they want to take on the business.”
William Hosie can balance 15 4-inch nails on a single 4-inch nail – but that’s far from being the only talent he’s got!