This is why the UK is short of trades men

[@mikefriend7570]

You're a rare breed of men with a social conscience. Your attitude is a breath of fresh air in a world of me, me, me. Thank you for the work you are doing to pay your knowledge on to the next generation. I hope your young recruits recognise the work you are doing to better them. Well done Darren. RESPECT!

[@stevenham1937]

I feel this big time. My boy has gone to a good college after his GCSE’s to study to be an electrician. Trying to find somewhere now for him to work as an apprentice is a nightmare. I genuinely couldn’t believe considering all the talk of trade shortages that the colleges aren’t set up to feed in to companies. I stupidly thought that’s how it would be with companies like Amazon with the automated warehouses and all the new renewable businesses like solar, car chargers, wind farms etc not to mention all the national installers. But nope. Go to college websites and they have nothing listed. It’s the same in transport which is my background. Impossible to take kids on due to insurance and by the time I could take them on when they were older, which I really wanted to do, they’d found a different career path. A small government incentive would generate billions down the road but our politicians are so backward thinking. Imagine you got a tax break to train people? What company wouldn’t get stuck in on that and down the road UK productivity would pay it back 10 fold.

[@Mello-bw7tx]

Our government are absolutely blinkered & think we are going to survive as a service sector country, its laughable. Good luck to your son, hope he gets a start somewhere, I totally know what you mean.

[@Shaggy-8392]

But you still voted Tory and wanted that conservative lady as a London Mayor?

[@stevenham1937]

@@Shaggy-8392 what a stupid comment. The current London mayor has hammered trades people with the new ULEZ that disproportionately impacted trades people’s vehicles and the previous Labour government and their policies had the largest impact on trades people’s incomes in history. I’m a Labour man through and through but know your audience! This industry here will be no better off under a labour government that’s coming soon.

[@shayed9930]

​@@stevenham1937both are bad as each other.

[@leehighland5435]

@@Mello-bw7tx The government are not blinkered, they know exactly what they are doing, they work for WEF. That's the real world and when Starmer takes power he is another WEF puppet. The people don't care about the UK, hence why they don't bother to vote, the country is finished, whne it's people no longer have any pride in their nation.

[@womanofsubstance3476]

The school's took away metal work, wood work, textile and all the practical skills needed to multitask and develop a sense of self appreciation and replaced it with dependency on others already most previledged.

[@ronbates585]

You spoke more sense than I have heard from any politician,very insightful

[@daverichardson5861]

Great vlog Darren and with you on your thinking. I started in the motor trade at a tender 15, 1970, it cost mum an dad more to get me to work than they paid me but for 5 years other people shared their skills with me and day release to college for 3 years. I did a further 5 years with them as a kind of repayment for the first 5 years then moved to a commercial company who made bottles and doubled my wages, I also learned a lot with them. After 10 years with them I went into Training/Eduction, teaching motor vehicle skills to young people, most welcomed it, some abused it and some left it! They expected high wages at 16 and no knowledge. A lot of small garages took on these apprentices and invested in them, very wise moves, it paid them back and all the while, I was learning from these young people so great respect. We live and learn. Stay well.

[@thepintman6166]

Man I was only a few seconds in and the dockets on the dash of the Van brought me back to my apprentice days spending time in the Van on the way to work with the Boss...I'm an office pleb now as a Chief Engineer for many years but its good to remember the hard days starting out on low wages while doing a hard days work on site in all conditions on a very low wage..below min wage actually,back then it was a right of passage and we knew there was a silver lining at the end but today young lads want to be on a grand a week on day one to be on their phones all day and do nothing...Keep up the good work pal you've a new sub here from Ireland.

[@paulperratt3748]

Brilliant and honest little monologue there my friend. Its a rare breed that is willing to invest in people and has the ability to pass on their skills. I would hope that every penny, and minute of your time, that you invest in your workforce will eventually be repaid, by the skilled and loyal workforce you have trained and built. Keep up the good work guys.👍

[@Arfabiscuit]

I live down in the south of France tradesmen earn big money down here and it's well deserved . Nice to see the working man live in big houses drive nice cars and relax by their swimming pools . Good on ya buddy .

[@tonydalton6756]

I was born in the 60's & our education was pap compared to those that went before. It gets worse with every decade it seems. The kids leaving school seem too be totally ill prepared for work these days. You are providing opportunity for those that would not of had any. Hats off to you pal.

[@MarkDurbin]

I agree 100% with your views on investing in people, nicely said.

[@y.lelivelt2619]

Dankjewel Darren voor je overpeinzingen. Ook ik denk dat je moet investeren in jongeren. Zij zijn immers de toekomst. Ik zie dat jouw jongens met plezier werken en dat komt omdat jij zorgt voor een goede werksfeer op de bouwplaats. Over 20 jaar zullen deze jongeren zich herinneren wat zij hebben geleerd van jou en jouw vaardigheden en hopelijk geven zij dat ook weer door.

[@luqmanali3132]

It will be best to remove some of the pebble dash before fixing wall plate. It will make life much easier, trust me.

[@bignige42]

I read the comment yesterday you are referring too with some disbelief and your response to it was perfect, I totally agree with your outlook on this and it’s such a shame you have felt the need to respond to it. Keep doing thing’s exactly as you are.. 👍🏻

[@ada-zionezukanma8275]

Well-done, Darren. Excellent lecture on psssing-on skills to the next generation. The problem is probably worldwide.

[@DavidHender-cj7vm]

Hi Darren, you make some very interesting points regarding training up new people. After some false starts, I trained as a Chartered Accountant, starting right at the very bottom; you cannot run before you can walk and all of that. My profession is really no different from your trade, it is all about investing in people. The trouble is that in this day and age, no one wants to pay for it, neither the employer of the young person nor the customer with longer lead times. What puts employers off training people is that they invest in training up staff to a good level and then that person jumps ship, whether by starting off on their own or being head hunted. In these modern times, in many cases, there is no loyalty anymore to a person's employer. That's the real problem.

[@rogergould8776]

What a smart man you are Darren. It's a joy to hear such a responsible attitude. Well done.

[@Mello-bw7tx]

Totally agree Darren. I've always said at the age of 13 or 14 our education system should go in two directions of curriculum. Either craft or technical chosen by the kids. I'm a timeserved Miller/Turner by trade but always watch my dad doing DIY when I was in my early teens. I'm now 49 yrs of age and will have a go at anything, foundations, bricklaying, joinery, plumbing, (electrical - don't tell anyone)😂. That's why I love watching your channel & have done since you first started. Keep up the good work mate 👏

[@memissymemeelliott5191]

Keep up the good work man you are doing di dam ting 👏🏾 👍🏾 it's called humbling yourself.

[@user-hi2hi2in9s]

You are so humble and it shows in your interaction with the lads, keep up the good work Darren.

[@jn1ty]

I agree to a point. I was in charge of a large truck repair shop and it was so difficult to find people to want to work. I would get an apprentice but most wanted to get paid but did not want to do the work. They were supposed to go to school but would blow it off. I was the worst part of my job to find help.

[@Phil.I.Am1]

Can't fault your point of view Darren. I like you came from an era where my Dad did everything - builder, car mechanic, decorator etc etc. Proper 'renaissance man'. I like to think I've followed in his footsteps and despite working in an office for 35 years, I still do everything l myself whenever possible. I'm in my 50's and am just finishing my Level 3 C&G in electrical installation and some of the younger guys on the course are definitely from the next generation where no-one showed them and they're too nervous to have a go. Learning is not about how many times you fail, it's about keeping going until you perfect it. Like you said, what brickie could lay 500 a day in their 1st year? I wish there were more tradies out there with your work ethic and principles - sadly my experience is that (aside from a few things I really can't do) I get a better result doing it myself - yes it takes longer, but taking care always does. Keep it up Darren. You're definitely proof that hard work pays off in the long run❤❤👍🏼👍🏼

[@zoidberg444]

I know what you mean Darren. I was someone who actually wanted to go into the trades but I concluded after some looking around at 18 that there was no way in for me and I went into a different job instead and it was 2008 so yeah. That was fun. My dad worked in manufacturing as an industrial electrician. He never did hardly any domestic stuff. He did instruct me in the basics of the trades when I was a kid and we did a lot of work on the house when I was a kid. I know the basics of bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, electrics, concreting as my great uncle was a builder and taught him a lot. I could probably bodge my way through doing an extension or a garden house or something. I'm glad I have those skills - I could never afford to pay someone of your talents to do any work for me but I could probably work out how to do it myself. I taught myself to work on cars which is a very useful skill because I keep my rust bucket on the road for very little money. If I had a nephew I would try to teach him as best I could just so he knew how to fix his own stuff some day. You know it sounds a bit off the wall but hear me out. I think its deeper just than not wanting to spend money to make it, to invest, dysfunctional industries, greedy companies or bad regulation, like those are all problems. I think its demographics. I know a few guys similar to myself who live in South East Asia or have lived there and you notice how available services are there and how cheap things are. One guy I know (he is a Yank) lives in the Philippines 6 months a year and the locals look at him weird when they see him changing the oil or a blown up piston or adjusting his chain on his motorbike and ask why doesn't he take it to a mechanic. He is used to having to do things himself because its difficult to get decent timely service from a mechanic back home. Where as in the Philippines there are cheap mechanics everywhere. Demographically the Philippines is a very young country. I think the fertility rate there is still something like 3 per woman. Its also a developing country so there is no mass immigration there either. Demographics with a lot of young people and children and companies not being able to ship in skilled workers for free makes for a much healthier economy which passes skills onwards. The west is demographically dead, its like living in a nursing home. I used to listen to this guys podcast 15 years ago who was saying this - he works in HVAC in America and he used to talk about the coming demographic implosion and how it would affect the trades and make it difficult to get anything done. I thought he was getting high on refrigerant back then but now I think he was right.

[@mrddb4328]

Well said Darren, keep up the good work ❤

[@Ireland-bc2gx]

Spot on mate 👍

[@philstation335]

Cracking on with it Darren that’s gonna b an awkward one to render as your need the tressels for the top then move them out of way to render bottom then set back up to float off etc

[@goldenineke]

Ooh a drive with Darren. Love - missed this! Enjoy your weekend Team Darren.

[@Anam.Hussain]

Real talk 💯

[@keithkench9432]

Wise words as always.

[@normanboyes4983]

Well said and I agree with you 100%

[@garymckeon5410]

spot on darren

[@shanicarter7637]

I agree with you 100% that it is vital to train the next generation. Your hard work training the apprentices is bearing fruit for your company. I remember years ago when you worked mostly alone and could take only small jobs, like the conservatory rebuild, and now, with the trained crew, you can take on these huge jobs and have multiple jobs running simultaneously.

[@lv9569]

Thanks for the content, even though i skip to the end cos i cant wait to see it, blame netflix for that lol

[@JazzScottDIY]

Preach Darren, ive always enjoyed watching your videos because there's no ego and it's evident that you like to do a great job and help both your clients and staff to progress! A lot of kids are more lazy these days but that's because society has made them feel that's there's easier ways of making money and lack respect for these trades! I work in a office as a main job but I get so much peace from doing my own diy around the house 👊🏾

[@darren92redrum67]

100% correct on the skills not being passed on. I worked in manufacturing, very few apprentices ships sense I finished school in 2008. Employers were relying on importing skilled workers from abroad mostly EU, but this is a Europe wide problem now, we have exhausted all the skilled workers from there.

[@DIYLONDON]

I agree with everything you said, in my 50s & who want to give us a start, investment is key, staff , tools or knowledge etc. always had a passion for building, covid closed my business down a year ago after 38 years, completely different trade to building, so I started on my own handyman service , kept my existing customers from previous business & things are looking up! Yougers now make £ from social media and other platforms. Bless D .

[@shaza3602]

You have a good team my friend

[@Doug....]

Well said that man.

[@legacysupplies3132]

You're a good egg! Keep on keeping on mate. Also I'm building a music room in my garden and I've watched hours of your work for inspiration and knowledge. Thank you

[@vision_thing]

25 years ago I never thought I would be sat here in my 50s listening to some bloke going on about bricklaying whilst driving his van around London. The internet eh. Nice work Darren, great words and information, enjoy it, it flies by.

[@darrenthebuilder]

Lol the worlds changing fast

[@CJ-111]

When i started groundworks, i learned from people who had no clue. Moved companies a few times and it took me a while to find a company that did know what to do. And even then my boss had little patience to teach

[@beatonthedonis]

As long as you have a certain amount of skill, knowledge and experience, you should be able to match the work of a 'time-served' tradesman when it comes to most modern building techniques - the only difference is that it's going to take much longer. If you can afford to invest that extra time, it's up to you. And time-served tradesmen are often on new builds where they can bang out the square metres. When it comes to smaller domestic jobs, renovations, extensions etc, it's useful to have a tight multi-skilled team.

[@darrenthebuilder]

Very true, these brickies are usually on big commercial jobs or their are doing their own builds and don’t have time to subby for anyone.

[@horza4530]

Well said Darren. You're a decent guy and a solid individual. It's a good point. When you're explaining why you're building something a certain way to a young person, you can think they should know how that works. But the truth is that you had to be taught it in the same way years ago.

[@jharris7407]

Its a catch 22 always in construction. Time versus money.Having the time out of your working day to teach a kid Is difficult you need the money in the price. Not always that easy surrounded by red tape health and safety let alone turning more money and having to get vat registered Which in turn puts your prices up . Hats off to you Darren love watching you guys the laughs you boys have is infectious!!

[@BillsAllotmentDiary]

Worst trade for ripping others in your trade to bits is Painting and decorating as one myself. Asking questions these days take courage as someone always has to be the genius that knows everything and asking questions makes you a cowboy or gardener. I like your videos mate bring the lads along with you.

[@WombleUK]

I am a Carpenter & Joiner in my early 50s & up until recently the youngest guys I used to work with 20yrs ynger than me, so you're absolutely right that a whole generation didn't get trained up. That is starting to change a bit now but still not like it was when I started at 15yo. Apparently the Government is changing how apprentices are funded from April this year so they fully it, oy time will tell how that works.

[@nolimit7]

when I left school I went to college and did electrical installation part 1 & 2 but had to find a job after as a trainee/mate to get some experience to go onto the next level to get qualified but found it very hard to find a job because very few firms wanna take on trainee's/mate so went down a different career. I have noticed going to shops like screwfix and tool station I often see older white tradesmen with younger guys but I never see it with older black tradesmen. From my experience in our community the older generation will look down on trades (even the ones in the trades) and tell the young people "you dont wanna do this kind of work because its dirty and money is no good you should go study and become lawyer, doctor etc but not everyone has the head for those sort of subjects.

[@desmondbroad1305]

Very well said about the apprentice void. But you took a while to explain.unfortunatley you could of just said the young are lazy because we let them.😍👍

[@johnb-beneficiary]

You're well tuned in pal. Gen Z are doomed from phones and victim mentality. Keep pushing the youth to learn these vital skills. Enjoy your videos. 👏

[@larryholland1466]

I’m in my 60s, and I’ve been teaching young men what I know in the trades. I’m a journeyman carpenter, and have taken advantage of my trade. I can’t take none of it with me, so I try to give it to everyone that want to learn from me

[@samgraham4168]

Red sole boots! Man flexin on the site! Got those loobs on while laying block... 😜

[@darrenthebuilder]

🤣

[@davidwhitefoot5680]

I agree but the issue is that apprentice won't accept £30 - £40 like we did, they want minimum £80 a day. doesn't work unfortunately

[@garymckeon5410]

inflation . how much was rent or a pint when 30 quid was acceptable for a labourer or apprentice compared to now . im not having a pop i am mid 50s and used to labour for 30 quid a day in the late 80s early 90s , a bottle of holsten pils in the pub was a quid and the old boys used to moan that was expensive because of what they used to pay 30 years earlier just as i today moan about the price of a pint of guiness these days lol

[@stevenham1937]

First year apprentice pay by law is a minimum of £6.40 an hour so unless they only work 5-6 hours you can’t pay them that or HMRC can go after you. In year 2 onwards they’re entitled to the minimum wage for their age. Worlds changed unfortunately. An 18 year old can go to a supermarket and be paid £8.60 minimum by law so it’s hard to tell them a harder more skilled job should be paid half of a shop floor job even if they’re being taught a skill for life.

[@tessa7582]

Pay them the £80. They will stay. £30 can’t buy you anything and you still want a young person to take that. That’s where you are going wrong.

[@davidwhitefoot5680]

@@stevenham1937 A apprenticeship is not about money, its about knowledge. I run an electrical Buisness and have multiple adult learners willing to to work for nothing just to learn.

[@normanboyes4983]

@@stevenham1937Sorry but that is total rubbish. You can pay your first year apprentice as much as you want as long as it is above minimum wage. HRMC only ‘goes after you’ if you are not paying the correct NI and tax.

[@Joe-jv5mm]

Respect! Investment in your workers will Pay Back 100 time's 👏👏👏

[@Joe-jv5mm]

Give a man a fish, feed his family for a day, Teach a Man How to 🐟, Feed his Family for a Life Time

[@jordan8168]

yeah this is a big problem no one wants to take on anyone with no experience or little knowledge of what their going into, if they do their paying next to nothing which isn't appealing for anyone young trying to get in, also practice your trades or trade you want to do, even in spare time i did it with welding and within 2 years i was as good as the bloke i was working with also on the cowboy builders no one follows building regs these days and most customers dont know about them, and also you could put yourself on a course as you have your business its counted as tax relief if i remember correctly as i was going to do the same thing but as you said its alot of money and being smart with cash flow and what you have to spend on a weekly basis its nice to see that theres actually someone out there who is thinking like me its pointless not investing in yourself and anyone who works for you as your just going to stay the same and never improve i also think alot of youngsters dont want to get their hands dirty especially if you can earn 100k sitting beind a clean desk all day

[@Mike_5]

The man has some very wise words to say for sure

[@matspurs1629]

Too much Red Tape, in the old days young kids would learn a trade from their Father

[@CmdrX3]

As the saying goes, never compare your beginning to someone else's middle.

[@RB-xg2vz]

I’d rather employ reliable young lads than older disloyal ones that leave for a few more quid elsewhere. Older generation continuously moan about young people with no ambition/work ethic but then won’t give them a chance.

[@darrenthebuilder]

Good point! Young people who want to work aren’t given enough chances.

[@Treehuntor]

Schools need to abandoned some of the health and safety and bring back physical practical woodwork, metalwork , mechanics instead of staring at a screen and educate an work ethic. Youngsters don't know how to hold a drill never mind using screwdriver or wire a plug. My daughter has her own house and is constantly putting more shelves , she just finished her decking for the when the sun eventually comes out !

[@SuperFx89]

If you're passionate about your field of work, you'll never be contempt with doing just one thing. You'll keep jumping from one thing to another and you'll keep trying to find better ways of doing things. You'll always feel good about passing on what you've learned. You'll just have to face the fact that you'll never be an expert at anything, but then again experts have the tendency to make themselves scarce when the job gets hard. I'd say being able to work with the big picture is way more important than being extremely good at just one or two parts of it.

[@mikey4814]

Mikey here , Hi Darren you have the same thoughts to life as me , you explained it well , it’s shocking that you are so similar to me , keep going forward don’t take notice of some comments they evidently lack knowledge and experience, common sense,it’s the best way to train the young guys to work to your speck because in the long run trust will grow to leave them on their own to carry out the work Best wishes Mikey Borehamwood

[@Poeticfloetic]

*Spec short for specification 😂

[@tessa7582]

Surely this is obvious and pertains to every profession. How can someone of an older age not know this?

[@thomasthetankengine2257]

There’s a serious lack of quality tradespeople, but there’s absolutely tons of companies that work to poor standards, I’ve got a small company 8 people and 2 are apprentices

[@SuperWayneyb]

🤘😎🤘

[@michellecook5084]

i think you should invest your time in ken he is keen to learn and absorbs the information you teach him look when he did the plastering xx

[@reggiedixon2]

Accepted that the architect specifies the design but my dislike of flat roofs is based on the undeniable fact that sooner or later they all leak and when they do, gravity works against you. If a pitched roof leaks gravity is working for you. Inherent in the design of a pitched roof is the fact that they can move and give and not leak. I have been in attics of 100 year old houses where you can see daylight reflected through the tiles but they still don't leak.

[@riptiz]

Load of shit, rubber roofs or fibreglass don’t leak if constructed properly. Have you even built a flat roof?

[@reggiedixon2]

@@riptiz Yes, and lived in properties with them. When people say they have a 25 year life now as if that is good I can tell they have no clue. Tell me what you know about thermal expansion and contraction.

[@riptiz]

@@reggiedixon2 not much as I’ve only spent 50 years putting in industrial pipework in all types of materials and most products like steam,oil,water,gas and chemicals. From 1/4” bore to 48”.

[@reggiedixon2]

@@riptiz Right so what happens to a flat roof over repeated summer/winter thermal cycles?

[@riptiz]

@@reggiedixon2 yeah it expands and contracts but unless there’s a hole in it , it won’t leak.

[@alanmcevoy1467]

I would only love to be in a position to invest in people...spread the wealth it's not ours alone

[@user-yx9yd1zw6q]

I think that's a response to what I said bruv I didn't mean it that way meant if you got a trowel in could be more helpful showing the youngsters leaving you time to get on and help other improve there skills

[@darrenthebuilder]

Nah it wasn’t even you, it was a comment on the previous video. Your comment wasn’t disrespectful

[@markw7997]

Wheres the rasta guy gone Darren who didnt speak much

[@johnglenham4099]

Wear your motor bike channel.

[@darrenthebuilder]

youtube.com/@Restorationclassics?si=uarPFQQr52Lqp6Q1

[@stephencave187]

We could all learn a lesson from you mate. Probably be less stressed and live a lot longer too. 🫶🏻