I’m one of the directors at The Assured Group, which is a property development company that we set up in 2019, specialising in providing great quality homes and accommodation for our partners working in the care and support sector.My background in property spans over 25 years, and in that time, I’ve made it my mission to find solutions to problems – and to find them quickly. I’ve always felt well-placed to do this because I genuinely enjoy speaking with people and learning from them, so that I can really dig down to find out what the real issues are. This is especially the case in having worked with colleagues in the social housing sector.My entry into the world of building and construction started from an Apprenticeship, and so I’ll always be an advocate for the boost that on-the-job learning and qualifications can be to young people as they seek to carve out careers for themselves. I’ve since worked through the ranks (as you’d expect) in having been involved in property maintenance through to property investment. Being self-employed, I’ve been able to diversify what I do and take pride in the projects I’m honoured to get involved with. I feel that this is a route that many more young people should – and will – follow in an uncertain job market. I also have a background rugby, and also in licensing – both stretching back over 30 years. I’ve won awards including Pub of the Year when I was based over at The Prince of Wales in Nottingham – something I’m still immensely proud of to this day. Through the charitable work we’re going to be focusing on here at 1111 in the future, I’m looking forward to being involved in more projects that guide teams of young people (in particular) towards properly rewarded outcomes