After leaving James Hargest College Justin successfully applied to undertake the carpentry pre apprenticeship course at the Southern Institute of Technology. In 2007 he was offered an apprenticeship with Southern Group Training and has been placed with Bill Cox Builder.

An apprenticeship offers the opportunity to gain a tertiary qualification at Level 4 without needing to take on a student debt. Apprentices are paid as they learn.

Southern Group Training, as employer, pays for Justin’s annual apprenticeship registration fee and his Training Manual. Because Justin has completed all his theory requirements through the pre apprenticeship course he does not need to attend evening classes, block courses, or do any distance learning packages. Southern Group Training provides apprentices with their own personal protective equipment on an annual basis, and an interest free tool loan to enable them to begin putting together a tool kit. It is the apprentice’s responsibility to take good care of their tools as they are expensive to replace if lost or stolen.