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From the frontline – operations supervisor Tom Brophy

Tom Brophy, operations supervisor at GreenSquare Group, talks about tradespeople, the NHS and ABBA

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Tell us about your job.

I supervise a team of tradespeople in our property services department – glaziers, roofers, fencers and landscapers. My role is to plan and give guidance on maintenance and repair jobs and make sure that my team have the right support, training and knowledge to carry out their work safely and to a high standard.

How did you get into housing?

I’ve grown up with GreenSquare. I started at 16 as an apprentice plumber (when it was Westlea Housing Association) and I loved it; my dad was a plumber and that was what I’d always wanted to be. I worked as an advanced plumber for 13 years. Next I became an assistant operations supervisor before my current role. I aim to keep on progressing within the organisation.

What is the best part of your job?

Working with my team to do a good job, meeting our targets and receiving positive feedback from our customers. It’s what makes it worthwhile, knowing that we’ve helped make a difference at someone’s home. I am close to my team because I’ve been a tradesman myself.

What is the worst part of your job?

When a lot of work goes into planning jobs and then, through no fault of our own, they don’t go according to plan – for example, when a customer isn’t in, or something else that was meant to have been done first hasn’t been. It all has a knock-on effect.

What would your superpower be?

To cure cancer. That would be fantastic. I lost my mum to cancer around the time I started my apprenticeship and it affected me a lot. It made me a stronger person and she was proud of me getting my apprenticeship.

What would you change about the housing sector?

I don’t think there is enough support out there for the younger generation. For a single person on an average wage it’s a struggle for them to save for a deposit and be able to own their own property. They wouldn’t be a priority for social housing, so often they’re just stuck.

If you could be prime minister for the day what would you do?

Increase funding for the NHS as we are so lucky to have it, ban all plastic bags and unnecessary plastic packaging, and have lunch with the Queen.

What’s the most private thing you’d be willing to admit to your colleagues?

I used to be really into ABBA as a kid… and that’s all I’m going to admit. Things are private for a reason!

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