Learning Through Work: What My Apprenticeship Taught Me About Responsibility

I’m Adam Thornhill, an entrepreneur and investor based in Dubai, originally from Liverpool, England. This series looks back at the early stages of my career – the businesses I built, the mistakes I made, and what those experiences taught me about building something that lasts. I hope you find these lessons useful. I’d love to connect with you if so. 

Joining the Workforce at 15: Learning on Site, Not in the Classroom

I started working immediately after leaving school at 15. Looking back, this was probably the best decision I could have made for my future career.

As I was too young to start an apprenticeship officially, I joined Quality Fireplaces as a labourer. My plan was simple: work hard and learn everything I could. Then, when I was sixteen, I could start my apprenticeship and begin the next stage of my life.

Before long, I was formally signed on as a Gas Engineer Apprentice. It was my first real job – my first experience of structured work, responsibility, and learning a trade from the ground up. It was a shock to the system… but in a good way.

Unlike school, where progress was measured in exams or grades, progress in the labour force was practical. You either learned how to do something properly, or you didn’t. And when you did, it was super rewarding.

I was paired with an engineer called Kyle, who taught me the trade hands-on (shout out to Kyle!). I learned quickly that there was no substitute for experience. Everything I learned, I learned by doing – by making mistakes, and figuring things out in real time.

However, it also became clear that working in the trades often meant long, unpredictable hours. Jobs didn’t finish at a set time – they finished when they were done. It wasn’t unusual to still be working at eight or nine in the evening, especially during winter. 

Still, unlike at school, progress as an apprentice was easy to measure. Here, at the end of each day, you could see what you’d built or installed. This gave me an early understanding of effort and outcome that stayed with me long after I left the industry.

Finding Small Opportunities Everywhere

During the apprenticeship, my routine was straightforward: each week involved five days working on site and one day at college. But I began to crave something more.

Because my wage as an apprentice was pretty low, I started looking for extra ways to earn money on the side, indulging my entrepreneurial spirit.

I began advertising on Facebook, offering to fit outdoor taps and taking on small jobs outside of work hours. I would cut copper pipe down to fit inside my holdall and travel to jobs on my scooter. Logistically, it wasn’t ideal, but it worked.

Around the same time, I started noticing opportunities within the work we were already doing. Before fireplace installations, chimneys often needed cleaning, so I bought chimney sweeping brushes and started offering that as an additional service. It brought in extra income and, more importantly, taught me something I’ve carried into business ever since – that opportunities are there if you look for them. 

Not long after turning 17, I passed my driving test and was trusted with a blue Y-reg Transit van. With that came more responsibility. I began travelling to jobs independently, loading materials and managing more of the work myself. 

This was a small step, but it felt significant. Independence became something earned through trust and consistency, rather than something given – another crucial lesson. 

Moving on from My Apprenticeship: A New Path

As time went on, I started thinking more about where my Gas Engineering apprenticeship would lead. I wanted to progress faster and increase my earning potential, which led me to consider a fast-track gas engineering course. However, my academic grades meant I wasn’t eligible.

That moment marked the beginning of the end of that chapter, but the start of a new path forward. I realised that while I valued the experience I was gaining, I wasn’t prepared to spend several more years in college before moving forward. 

I wanted to move more quickly, take on more responsibility, and find opportunities that matched my ambition at the time. Looking back, this was less about leaving the trade itself and more about recognising that my path didn’t have to be linear.

Reflecting on What I Learned As an Apprentice

Working as an apprentice taught me things that formal education never could. I learned the importance of reliability, showing up consistently and finishing what you start. I learned that reputation matters – especially in customer-facing trades where trust is everything. 

Most importantly, I learned to look for opportunities rather than waiting for them to come knocking. Whether it was fitting outdoor taps on evenings and weekends or upselling chimney cleaning before installations, I became comfortable creating additional value rather than simply completing the task in front of me.

That mindset carried forward into everything that followed. I became less focused on titles or traditional progression and more focused on learning skills that could be applied elsewhere. 

This experience also helped me get more comfortable working in uncertain environments, where outcomes weren’t guaranteed, but effort still mattered.

Starting work young meant learning responsibility early. There was no separation between effort and outcome. That experience still shapes how I approach business today, particularly when working in environments where practical decisions matter more than theory.

Many founders and operators I work with come from hands-on backgrounds themselves, and understanding that experience makes it easier to focus on solutions rather than processes for their own sake.

If you’re inspired by my story, please get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.