Dean Oades, Pride in the Job 2025 Quality Award winner

From bricklaying apprentice to the armed forces and now a six-time Pride in the Job award winner, Dean Oades' journey is one of hard work, discipline and dedication. At the heart of it all is his site team, the people he credits for helping him maintain the high standards needed to win year after year.

My name is Dean Oates. I'm a Site Manager for Barrett Homes East Yorkshire at Lancaster Gardens, Harworth, Doncaster.

It's great to be told that you've won an award. It's not just about yourself, it's about the whole team. So it's great that the whole team have been recognised for the work that we do. This will be my 6th pride in the Job Quality Award, which again, even from the first one, he's no different to the six.

Having a good team around you is a big factor and you're only as good as the men that you've got. Everybody strives for the same goal, which makes a difference. You need everybody pulling the same way. I originally started out as a an apprentice bricklayer with my my dad. He had his own building company. I did a few years as an apprentice. Unfortunately, due to a recession, there was no work. I did several years in the armed forces, jumped out of planes for a living and I was bricklaying for several years. I then applied for an assistance position and never looked back to it.

So if I could give anybody advice, I would certainly say you've got to give 100% commitment. You've got to want it a lot of putting effort in and getting everybody on side and getting them to want it the way you do.