Ben Gilbody is Warrington Housing Association’s asset and compliance apprentice. He joined WHA at the beginning of the year and we grabbed a quick chat with him between calls to tenants to find out more about his role and why he wanted to become an apprentice.
What is your role at WHA:
I am an asset and compliance apprentice. We make sure the assets, the properties, are in order and make sure they are compliant with regulations. We have audits every year that we have to do to show the auditors we are compliant across smoke alarms, boilers, EPC (energy performance certificates) and electrical installations – that we have the correct certificates and keep records. We send people out when a house repair needs to be done. I am currently carrying out a stock condition survey – calling the tenants to make sure the house is up to standard and offering any help where it is needed.
I have always lived in Warrington. It’s my hometown, so I know it like the back of my hand which is really useful for my job.
What has been your career path?
I studied electrical installation up to Level 3 at Warrington and Vale Royal College and then got a job in maintenance, the hands-on side of things in a hotel, before applying for this job.
What attracted you to your new role?
The apprenticeship is such a good opportunity, being able to work and do college on the side. I am learning as well as working. On Fridays, I do assignments for my Housing and Property Management Level 3 qualification, and I don’t have any due, I go into the office and work.
I was used to working with tools so I never thought I would go down the admin route, but I am really enjoying it. It has opened new experiences to me.
Being an apprentice is so good, you can go to different departments. I have been into customer services, talking to the tenants, and events organisation with the comms teams – I am organising a St Patrick’s Day horse race event for WHA staff as a little extra as I know how much time they put into their jobs.
What makes you excited to come to work?
Everyone in WHA is lovely, everyone smiles and says hello. I love making coffee for people, it is like being part of a family. I like the work too; it is really interesting.
What does a usual day look like to you?
I walk into work – 45 minutes, a good walk in the morning wakes you up! I get in, make the coffee and start my day checking the gas inbox to see if anything needs doing or my colleague Shannon might have something she wants me to do. It might be making appointments for stock condition surveys or there are a lot of different things that I could be doing. It is pretty busy but no day is the exact same.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love books, I am reading Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology at the moment.
How would you describe yourself?
Positive mindset, kind, outgoing
What’s your favourite work lunch?
I bring my own lunch, ham sandwich, ready-salted crisps, pork pie that sort of thing. And I am really into coffee at the moment.
Top day out in the North West?
I am from Latchford and Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve is a lovely circular walk just behind where I live. It is only about an hour or two, but it is a really nice walk
What do you love about Warrington?
I live on a nice estate where everyone knows each other, when I walk my dog Pippa everyone greets her! I love the modern builds and the pubs are also very good in town.
