Chloe Morris has joined mobility bathroom specialist, AHM Installations, as its first on-the-job apprentice fitter.
After leaving a job in retail, Morris worked at McDonald’s with flexible hours so that she could study for a plumbing qualification while caring for her son.
AHM Installations say Morris’ career change reflects a growing trend where women are taking on trade apprenticeships at a time when tradespeople are in short supply. The company cites a recent report by Go Compare that found that the number of women training to work in trade has increased 366% in the last five years, with plumbing and heating the second most sought-after roles after painting and decorating.
Like the rest of the KBB industry, AHM Installations have found recruiting the right people for the job has become a challenge. Charlie Symcox, director at AHM Installations said: “The demand for safe, affordable bathing has increased significantly in the last few months, and good fitters are in short supply.
“We know this is a challenge faced by many firms, and we’re doing our bit by training people from the very start of their career, like with Chloe. We select our people very carefully – we always have done – and we think that’s what sets us apart. We want to continue providing career opportunities that help our people fulfil their personal ambitions.”
Morris’ trainer, Dan Newey, has been at the company for six years and recently took on the role of training new apprentice fitters. Newey said: “AHM has always been good to work for. I’d say what’s helped me get ahead is that I’m finicky! I want everything to be done exactly as it should be, and I don’t let things slide.
“Chloe is a good worker. She gets stuck in and works to the same standard as everyone else. I definitely think some customers feel more comfortable having a female fitter onsite.”
Morris said: “I’ve always been hands-on – I’ll always give DIY stuff a try – so I thought I’d go for it. Now I’m learning something new every day, and I love it. We couldn’t do work experience at college because of Covid, so after college, I was looking for on-the-job training roles. I needed hours that would work for my son’s drop off and pick up. When I saw the adverts for AHM, I was quite surprised.”
Morris applied for an apprenticeship with AHM Installations, a family-run company that designs and fits mobility bathrooms. “I love seeing the before and after photos of the bathrooms and how we make the customers so happy,” she said. “I’ve studied health and social care in the past and grew up wanting to go into the NHS, so the mobility side of things is familiar to me. I love seeing the difference we make in people’s lives. The way AHM deals with its customers is amazing.”
Morris sees a bright future for herself as a bathroom fitter. “I want to do well and progress within the company to get to where Dan is. I’d like to train other people in the future,” she said. “Also, women shouldn’t shy away from doing jobs like this. If we all get the job done to the same standard, it really makes no difference.”