Meet the Team – Louis Marshall

Twenty-four-year-old Louis Marshall is carving out a career in joinery since gaining employment with Actes.

Louis, who is originally from Nottingham, located to Middlesbrough to study Computer Games Animation at Teesside University before deciding on a change of direction. At this time Louis’ girlfriend was living in one of Actes’ properties where work was being undertaken, inspiring Louis to offer a helping hand.

Louis comments: “My grandad was a painter and decorator and I was always interested in his work. When I saw the work Chris and John from Actes were doing at the house I offered to help out and I really enjoyed doing it and realised that joinery and carpentry was the direction I wanted to go in.”

Recognising that he needed some support with employability skills, Louis then signed up to the New Directions Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), one of Actes’ delivery programmes, where he received a wealth of support to set him up for entering the workplace. His youth advocate Carl helped him to secure his Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card and encouraged him to take on a volunteering role within Actes’ facilities team.

When an opportunity arose through Talent Match to fund the role, Louis was appointed as assistant caretaker with a responsibility for supporting the maintenance of the organisation’s two business and community centres, the Resource Centre and the Acklam Green Centre, as well as Actes’ housing stock.

Louis’ day-to-day tasks are mainly focused at the Resource Centre where he is involved in maintaining the gardens so they’re in pristine condition ready to host a variety of events and activities and tidying and setting up rooms. With guidance from site facilities worker Chris Wilson, Louis is also getting the chance to gain experience in more technical tasks within the properties, such as creating a decked patio; work which supports the Joinery Level 2 qualification he’s currently undertaking with Learning Curve. 

Louis commented: “Chris has been a great motivator and mentor and has given me the opportunity to work on more challenging projects. He has taught me plenty of tips and tricks of the trade and a good work ethic which I will be able to carry forward into my future career.

“I’m thoroughly enjoying my time with Actes; the people are very motivating and are giving me a push in the right direction and I love the projects and making a difference in the local community where I live. I hope in future to develop a career in fine woodworking and furniture making, and my time with Actes is giving me some great experience that will set me off on the right path.”