Leon completed his secondary education at James Hargest College before spending several years work as a painter. He then decided to get a qualification and completed the carpentry pre employment programme being offered employment as an apprentice with Southern Group Training.

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 Leon’s training fees.

Southern Group Training also provides apprentices with an interest free tool loan to enable them to have a basic toolkit of their own from the beginning of their apprenticeship. This means that the apprentice does not have to save up for each tool but has the basics of the required tool kit on hand. This also means that the apprentice does not need to borrow other trades people’s tools to complete the tasks at hand. Apprentices are provided with their own personal protective equipment which is replaced on a regular basis.