A humble start laid solid foundations for future success
Continued success of building firm is built on support for apprenticeships, writes Celine Naughton
JOHN SISK didn’t have the greatest start in life when he lost his parents at the age of 11 to the Great Famine that swept through mid-19th century Ireland. But the youngster overcame his grief to take a new path when he went to live with a Quaker family who made their living as plasterers. Soon he too took up an apprenticeship in the trade.
When he set up his own building firm at the age of just 22, few would have guessed that a century-and-a-half later, the company would have grown to become a multi-national colossus of the construction industry that still bears his name to this day — John Sisk and Son, now owned by fifthgeneration family members.
The industry may have changed since those post-famine days, but according to CEO Stephen Bowcott, one thing that remains the same is the company’s support for apprenticeships, which continues to serve as a critical foundation for Sisk’s success.
“Every year we take on a mixture of apprentices, internships, graduates and postgraduates and we value them equally,” he says.
“The construction industry is not just about building bricks, there’s loads of exciting stuff in structural engineering, robotics and technology, as well as mastery in a variety of skills — and we pay well. As well as gaining internationally recognised qualifications in a range of skills, our apprentices go on to train as foremen and site managers. Some of our best former apprentices now manage contracts in the hundreds of millions.”
There is stiff competition for a place on a Sisk apprenticeship programme, with hundreds of applicants vying for one of 10 placements each year on its four-year carpentry and joinery course, leading to a Level 6 QQI qualification. Some go on to do a Level 7 Foreman degree in site management, and there are possibilities to go right up to PhD Level 10.
“We support third level education that blends academic study with workplace training in real-life skills,” says Bowcott. “At the end you’ve got work-ready citizens with skillsets for life.”
While disappointed that other construction firms recruit relatively few apprentices, he hopes to address that through Sisk’s sponsorship of Ireland Skills Live.
“I’m hoping to set up a consortium of five or six contractors who together will take on up to 40 apprentices a year and share their skills between us,” he says. “If one company had a slight downturn in business, its apprentices could be deployed in another. It’s a win-win for both apprentices and contractors.” And who are these apprentices likely to be? “I look for energy and flexibility,” he says. “I want people who are rounded and prepared to learn. Diversity to us is also a key business objective. We take on as many women as we can attract, because we have a policy of inclusivity that’s core to what we do.”
According to training manager David Tracey, Sisk is the only private construction company to have its own training centre for carpentry. He’s been running it for the past 36 years — ever since, at the age of 22, he finished his own apprenticeship and was immediately promoted to manager.
“The [Sisk family] see the long-term view. They’re not just giving people skills, they’re investing in their future managers,” he says.
So what kind of application stands out from the rest?
“One that tells a story,” says Tracey. “Tell us why you want to be a carpenter and what motivates you. Show us your passion.
“It helps to have taken Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) and construction studies at Leaving Cert, and you’ll need to have done woodwork at school, although we make exceptions. Above all, there is one quality that reigns supreme: attitude. If you can show us that you have a positive attitude and you want to learn, you will shine. Every day on a building site there are new issues, and at Sisk we have a zero policy — zero snags, zero defects. Build it once and build it right.”
This year Sisk is sponsoring the National Skills Finals at Ireland Skills Live. This is a competition that gives young people the chance to showcase their skills in various trades from plastering to carpentry, hairdressing, cookery and aircraft maintenance. The winners will represent Ireland at the WorldSkills Olympics in Kazan, Russia, in August.
We want people who are rounded and prepared to learn. Diversity is a key objective. We take on as many women as we can attract, because we have a policy of inclusivity that’s core to what we do