Tigers on the job at Glasshus Facades Ltd.

With apprenticeships and training the players are hard at work throughout the week as Managing Director of Glasshus Facades Liam Hourigan discusses.

“We are a specialist glazing subcontractor based in Normanton operating within the UK construction industry and we try to fill a void which is mainly filled by Eastern European contractor who import into the UK, we’re mainly in the North West of England but we’re looking to take up projects in London, Birmingham and many other major cities in the UK.

“I’m a passionate supporter of the club and to be able in anyway to be involved with the successes of the Tigers is a big driver for me to help out but also wanting to be involved within the community, so working with Castleford Tigers joins up both. We’re based locally of course and to be employing local people is important, I want this business to be tied into the local community and a way to do that is to be present within it and be a real employer giving young people opportunity.

Castleford Tigers Academy player Louis Collinson is at the start of the production line for these facades and gets a sense of pride when seeing the finished piece put together.

“Basically, what a facade is a big glass panel, aluminum frame with insulation in and we put the glass in, and it builds up as part of a big building.

“I put the panel together starting from scratch from the paperwork then make the pieces which need to come together, that’s where the bonders come in and put it all together. It’s a big achievement when you see what you’ve made together at the end, we’ve not been here that long but we’re making these panels and you feel proud.”

Jamie Mvula is one of the young Tigers working at Glasshus Facades working mainly with the frames on the production line and at first found the work a little perplexing but since settling in he’s got the hang of it.

“At first it can be complicated but once you get used to it then it’s more familiar to you and you know what you’re doing so it becomes easier and the work gets better run throughs.

“We work here five times a week Monday to Friday starting at half seven in the morning, finish at half four and it’s a good job to have because we can gain experience in something new and it fits in well because we can go to training after finishing our shift and we’re given time off for matches, it’s a good job to have. We get to know more about the working world whilst developing as rugby players.

“I work with an older guy called Stu and learn off him, I’ve got Max who’s a year above me and he’s learning on the job too.”

Each one of the Tigers has a more experienced hand to learn from on the shop floor, 16-year-old Cain Robb is learning how to use advanced machinery and speaks to a few of the staff at Glasshus Facades as he looks to develop his own skills.

“I’m working on the compound cutter which cuts the aluminum into the frames and the big C&C machine which drills all the holes for the fabricators to put together. I work alongside Glen, Richard and Dave who are experienced, work here on a day-to-day basis just like us and I’m learning how to use these big machines which are impressive.

“We’re learning day in day out work and then playing rugby as well, it makes you feel stronger in many ways because you need to manage the workload across both and not letting it all catch up on you.”

Jacob Doyle is one of the newest faces at Glasshus Facades but has been made to feel welcome not only by his fellow teammates at Cas but the staff at the Normanton based business.

“I’ve been really welcomed into the environment, the first few days were a little baffling getting to know everything and learning but within a couple of weeks you learn what you’re supposed to be doing. I’ve been doing a few things such as on the machines, the assembly of frames and more so I’ve definitely improved while I’ve been here.

“It’s quite a close-knit environment and everyone gets along so it’s a good place to be, it’s a bit like a family here as a whole and then we’ve got little break downs into teams as well.

“It’s allowing us lads to learning something else and gain life skills whilst training around rugby which can sometimes make it more difficult to get work but Glasshus Facades have offered a way to help build a potential future outside of the sport, we can become full trained fabricators.”

Finishing at 4pm on an afternoon and then heading to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle for training makes for a long day for the players but Danny Attley appreciates the opportunity due to the accommodating nature of Glasshus Facades.

“It could be a struggle finding jobs to go alongside our rugby stuff so it’s a massive help. I think we’ve fit in well because you’ve got your boys that you play with on the field around too, so we’ve fit in well and hopefully we take that bond from here in the factory floor onto the pitch.”

It’s important to have a backup plan if rugby doesn’t work out as a career says Caelum Jordan.

“Going from work to rugby training can tire you a little but its eye opening too because you’re learning a trade whilst doing what you love which is of course playing rugby league, we get to meet new people and make new friends. If rugby doesn’t work out, I’d hope to work here, and you need a job to fall back on I reckon, but without rugby though I wouldn’t be working here as well and might not have been given this chance. It’s been a classy gesture from Liam to give young people like us from Cas opportunities, we appreciate it.”

It’s a win-win scenario for both the young Tigers and the business of Glasshus Facades, they get to learn a trade alongside wanting to become a professional rugby league player as Liam Hourigan discusses further.

“We need to find the next people to come into the construction industry and that’s not easy for them to simply come in and contribute, being able to bring in the Tigers lads is great and their main priority is to try and become professional rugby players and as a business we support that 100% but being able to learn a trade, improve earning abilities and help us as a business is perfect.

“Taking lads at 16, 17 or 18 years of age who might be working in the rugby world in a part time capacity, if we provide them an ability to increase their earning abilities it means we’re not going to upskill a generation of individuals who are then going to go and work for our competitors because we’re offering an opportunity to work around their rugby career. If someone has an injury or something and needs extra treatment for example, we allow them to go do what they need to and that individual whilst he’s working on his career as a player he will stay with our business and we can build some longevity with their career with us.

“It’s not just what’s happening on the shop floor we’ve got Nathan Carter and Taylor Cartwright who have taken more admin and office-based roles with us.

“As Managing Director I’d love to be able to spend every minute out on the shop floor, but I always ensure they are coming to work motivated and are doing okay really.”

As ever Castleford Tigers would like to thank Glasshus Facades Ltd for their support of our Youth Department and the club are pleased to see our young Tigers representing the club well and working hard. Keep up the great work fellas.