“This building belongs to every colleague, every customer and every apprentice. This is where we’re going to develop skills. This is where we’re going to give people opportunities.”
Those were the words of PTSG CEO Greg Ward as he officially opened the company’s new Centre of Excellence at Alma House in Manchester earlier this month.
Standing before colleagues, customers and partners, Greg described the new facility as far more than a building. For him, it represents opportunity, investment and the future of the business.
“This isn’t just about opening a building. This is about opening a new start and creating new opportunities for our colleagues, our customers and all the young people and apprentices who are going to join PTSG.”
It was a fitting message from a leader whose own career began as an apprentice.
As PTSG launches its biggest-ever apprenticeship recruitment campaign, recruiting up to 50 apprentices this year and aiming to have around 150 in structured training within three years, we sat down with Greg to talk about why, despite leading a business employing more than 3,500 colleagues and delivering more than 170 specialist compliance services for 90,000 customers, he still thinks like an apprentice.
“I still think like an apprentice”
Greg, you started your career as an apprentice. What did that teach you that you still carry today?
Everything, really. As an apprentice, you’re there to learn, to watch, to ask questions. You’re hands-on, you’re curious, and you’ve got respect for the people around you because they know more than you do.
That hasn’t changed for me. I’m still learning from people every day – technicians, managers, cleaners, whoever’s in front of me. Life is one big learning curve, and if you stop being curious, you stop growing.
How does that apprentice mindset show up in how you run PTSG?
I don’t sit in an office and make decisions from a distance. I’m out there, talking to people, listening, learning what’s really happening. The frontline has the best ideas – they see the reality of our work every day. If I’m not connected to that, I’m not doing my job properly.
And I expect the same from everyone here. Stay curious, whatever your job title. Ask questions. Learn from the people around you. Don’t assume you’ve got it all figured out.
What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship with PTSG?
Do it.
You’ll learn more in your first year than you ever could in a classroom. You’re earning, you’re gaining real skills, and you’re building relationships with people who want to see you succeed.
But here’s the thing – being an apprentice isn’t just about your first role. It’s a mentality. The best people I work with, no matter how senior they are, still have that apprentice energy. They’re hungry to learn, they work hard and they treat everyone with respect.
When guests toured the Centre of Excellence after the opening ceremony, Greg encouraged them to look beyond the classrooms and training spaces.
“When you walk around, you’ll see apprentices, trainers and colleagues developing new skills. But you might also be looking at the next CEO. You might be looking at the next Chairman.”
You talk a lot about hard work creating your own luck. What do you mean by that?
Luck has nothing to do with it. Hard work creates your own luck. Nothing falls into your lap – even to win the lottery, you need to buy the ticket. Show up, do the work, go beyond what’s expected. Don’t wait for opportunities – create them.
People who succeed aren’t the luckiest. They’re the ones who turn up, put the effort in, and keep going when things get tough. That’s what I did as an apprentice, and it’s what I expect from everyone at PTSG.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out?
Stay curious. Treat everyone with respect – the cleaner and the shareholder the same. Make decisions as if the business were your own. And remember, it’s not about how many times you get knocked down – it’s how many times you get back up.
Oh, and have fun. You’re at work a long time. Bring energy, bring positivity and enjoy what you do.
Building the next generation
The new Centre of Excellence sits at the heart of PTSG’s long-term investment in people, providing apprentices, engineers and colleagues with a dedicated environment for practical training, mentoring and professional development.
During the opening, Greg also paid tribute to Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Paul Teasdale, recognising the Centre as part of the legacy he is creating for future generations.
“This is Paul’s legacy. He’s always been a disruptor in the market. We don’t copy. We lead. This Centre of Excellence is no different.”
For the apprentices who will walk through its doors in the months and years ahead, Greg hopes the Centre will be remembered for one thing above all else: creating opportunities.
As he told guests at the opening: “This building belongs to every colleague, every customer and every apprentice. This is where we’re going to develop skills. This is where we’re going to give people opportunities.”
PTSG is recruiting up to 50 apprentices this year across a range of engineering and specialist compliance disciplines.
To find out more, visit:https://www.ptsg.co.uk/build-your-future-here/
