Pest Control Careers: Young Technicians, Training & Learning Difficulties | Owen Hayes

0:01 Hello and welcome to best perspectives episode number 54. But if you read in the streams it may say 53 as I messed it up again but it is number 54 of best perspectives. Crazy to think I've done 50. There's a 54th episode since last January that's incredible. They are done 2 awake sometimes to fit people in. But this week I've got a conversation with Owen Hayes. Is that right? Yeah, Owen Hayes. That's right, it was. It was set up by Martin. Martin Beltshire had a word to me and says you need to get Owen on.

0:48 He's a good lad. I met you, a pest tech last year. I shook your hand. I did. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, up on the balcony. One or two, whichever one it was. But yeah, he says. And then I looked at your he showed me a load of I did you on Facebook and it's a really good, really good. He's done something with not the OBE, you know, project Search, is it? That was it. Project Search project. Search. That's it. Yeah, I'll bring all that up as well. But yeah, thanks everyone for watching. Thanks. Ask, Ask Pest Control for watching.

1:31 So how did obviously when you were at school? Obviously a long time ago when I went to school, I didn't know pest control was a job. But when you went to school, did you know pest control was a job? No, I I was exactly like you. I'm like, I've never heard of it before. Even when I was on on a course, I didn't know anything about piss control. I didn't even know that even existed. OK, so nothing's changed in well, I've got, I'm 41 now, I feel older. Nothing's changed in that long in the present day.

2:09 We're trying to change it. It's not an easy thing. It's not being funny. A lot of people nowadays love to be tapping behind the keyboard rather than actually on the tools. But so obviously there was. So when you left school, did you go through, did you do any kind of any college courses that got you into pest control Like there was it like project search was it or how did all that work? How did all that work? So I was obviously once I left school, I went to not in college and I didn't not. In OK.

2:53 Yeah, and I did.

2:57 So it was motor skills. So it was like 6 weeks of everything construction based. So it'll be like 6 weeks Brit laying, six weeks plumbing and then six weeks painting and decorating and stuff like that. So and then obviously we're about to do one last subject, but we couldn't do it because of COVID. Oh. I see. OK. Yeah, so understandable. Yeah. So most of it was all on the computer. I do like, yeah, you usual stuff that you do on your computer, on the computer course. So and then I passed that and then I really enjoyed paying and decorating.

3:40 Yeah. And then I start doing. I think it will leverage you paying and decorating. And then I thought, you know what, I could get a hand on this. And so I've got thank you got like a part time job in in paying a decorating by a person that I know from a family friend. Oh. That's nice. Nice. And then I did it for I think probably a couple months and turned out it just wasn't for me. OK, that's fair. So. So I don't know if it was to pay the decorating itself or the people working in that in that job.

4:22 Yeah, they can be in that industry. They can be a bit like painting, decorating brickies and that they can be a bit I'm not sure a lot of them Mickey taking and you know, it's whether you're yeah, they can be very much when you lot and you go on building sites. It's very but you have to be right bit it may or it may just bring you watching the paint dry. Yeah, yeah. And then I realised that's not for me. So this was all during COVID. So, right. We weren't quite sure what I was going to do next, obviously, because with my learning disabilities and etcetera, and I just weren't too sure if a lot of people be accepting in certain jobs that I would do.

5:17 And then we just, we found there's a course called Project Search where you go into the hospital and you, you work there for a year for free. Obviously, it's, it's still a college course. Oh. You see, OK. Yeah, it's still a part of Notting course. It's, it's only it's really it's no, I was the first proper year where it got quite big. Yeah. And then after my year, it got a bigger and bigger and bigger. OK, so I did that for about a year. So it was pretty much bit like much skill. So I was doing a month of this certain job and then I went and moved on to somewhere else.

6:06 But I I like to be quite hands on. I don't like, I don't usually like to be stuck in the office all day. I'd like to be moving about and etcetera. So I So what I did was it was what's it called? So you know where you clean the supplies. Oh, yes, yeah, I know that. Yeah, we. Put it into like trolleys and then we'll push it and we will go on towards and we'll deliver the cleaning supplies for the ward. I never thought about a job like that before, I said. I didn't know it was a natural job. I just thought the cleaning habit.

6:43 Obviously I am wrong. To be fair, I thought. The same, to be fair. So you're not the only one. So, yeah, so I did that. I think I did that. I really like doing that because it gave me a bit of a routine of I know what I'm doing every day. So I moved. Yeah. So I moved on to do the bins. So your clinical bins, your waste bins, your cardboard bins, stuff like that. I did enjoy that, but I just weren't, I weren't into it as much. So I. No, I can't imagine. Obviously you're just collecting basically rubbish in a bin, isn't?

7:26 It. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know it's clinical but it's just a different bin into. It Yeah, yeah, it's it just worked for me and I thought I like it, but I don't want to be doing this for the rest of my life. So I was just like hanging by a thread. I was like, I don't like it. It's obviously it's a lot of it is physical when you're moving your arms and stuff and and the bins nearly tall. It's me. I'm I'm very short. I know. Yeah, I'm, I'm quite tall, aren't I? Yeah, so the bins are like nearly up to my nose.

7:59 So I'm like, yeah. So I'm like, yeah, this is not for me. And then one of the bosses or the managers, he came to me and said, well, it's near, it's near the end of the year, The hospital wants to keep you on. Oh, that I'll tell you what, that's really good because they must have thought a lot of you and you're trying really hard that they wanted to keep you. That must have meant a lot for you that they wanted to keep you. And then people have must have really got to like you around the hospital.

8:34 That's that's, that's a really good thing, that is. Yeah, because I was I was talking to a lot of people at that time. I wasn't, I wasn't the the person where I'm very loud and etcetera. I'm very, I'm a very like person. So if someone wants to talk to me, I'll talk to them. I don't have a problem with that. I'm not what the type people that go out my way to say hello to people and I was very shy at that time, very low on confidence and etcetera. So. So hearing that, it gave me a bit of a confidence boost.

9:08 Well, I definitely. Would, I'll be honest though, when I started in pest control and obviously a lot older than you, but I wasn't got, I worked in a factory job and I started with my dad and I wasn't very good at talking to customers to start with. Now you can't shut me up though, but it's the confidence thing because I wasn't dealing with the public, you see, I moved to dealing with the public and it's in someone's house. I wasn't used to. It took me a while to get used to used to that. Yeah. It's good that you've built up your confidence in that area.

9:41 Definitely. And so, and then he came in and said, well, we'll actually keep you on. There's not enough people to go into the job that you're in now. So we've got an offer for you for just a three-week trial to see where you go and do a pest control. I thought pest control was pest control. I never heard that in my life. They said, oh, well, you deal with like rats and all that. I'm like, well, I don't like spiders, so how am I going to deal with rats? I should have sold that a bit better that you think about stuff like that.

10:19 Start with. Yeah, so. So you said that I thought, you know what, I've got nothing else to lose, you know, so yeah, why not? And I gave it three weeks. So I met Martin as you, as you said earlier and then I met Jeff as well, who works alongside Martin and and I met them very nice guys. I thought at least I know I'll be comfortable with them. But let's just see what it goes three months down the line or three weeks, sorry. And I went down and it went past three weeks and it went to six weeks and then it went to so on a couple months.

11:03 And then I was on I think probably 6 months down the line. I was doing apprenticeship in customer service because obviously with the pest control, they've never heard of, I don't think at the time of apprentice in pest control. So we had to go. We had to go through a different route of doing just customer service. OK. So I did that. Luckily I passed that as well throughout the through a year because I'll. Be honest with you, Erin, unless you work at like you get a job at a national big company, most press, it's not something like most people go and get their pest control qualifications.

11:50 There's no oh, here's the customer, here's how you deal with customers. There's none of that. The big, the big nationals teacher, but it's not a skill that it's a bit lacking in obviously a lot of most of small businesses. No, it's an area there where you got on a leg up there during that course. I've never done a a customer service course, so it sounds interested in that does. Yeah, I've never heard of it until it got shown to me. I thought, yeah, as long as it gets me to where I want to be, which is do the pest control, then so be it.

12:24 I was like, yeah, OK, I'll get on board that. And you didn't really do a lot, to be fair. So you did like you had a tutor, but you see you're on like a Sue call like we are, and you see her or him probably once a month and they'll set you a target to complete a like a course or like a subject in customer service. Do you get to do all that sort of work for a month, complete it, show it to her? And I said yeah bro. And then did that for for a Goodyear. And then towards the end you had someone walk around and that was your exam where you show around.

13:14 So that show around the hostel of what we what I do every day and that's basically customer service exam. And then after that she get me like I can't remember now. Probably about 6-7 questions. Yeah. And that was it. And then I said I'm quite cheeky because I'm quite nervous, but I was quite cheeky. I said, do you think I passed straight away? I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have done it. But I was like, in your personal opinion, do you think I passed? Yeah, She she put her head down and said I think you've done OK.

13:55 And then and then I got the the the resort and I got like, I think it was like a merit or extension. Wow, that's good. That's very good. See, See that there, the way you did that, that shows how much your confidence has been boosted. Where this person came in, you didn't really know them, but you felt comfortable enough to go. Do you think I've passed? Yeah. Yeah. So it shows how much your confidence levels have been boosted by being in hospital and around new situations and obviously being with Martin and obviously Jeff and then teaching the ropes.

14:36 So yeah, that's that's really good to hear that. It's because it it just shows how much confidence it's gone up. If you if you can say that for someone who don't know. I thought that. Yeah, yeah. So I was what if you, if you talk to Martin and Jeff or even if my family or close friends, you'll know that how really in the dumps I was and low in confidence and and I was very lonely like during COVID times and I was like, I was really down and then I'll do all these job. It made me happy. But I were I still wasn't confident enough.

15:16 And then and then out of nowhere, pest control came along. Jeff and Martin came along. I was like probably 7 ones down and if you ask my mum and dad they couldn't believe how much confident I got just throughout those months and it's all down to those guys. I'll be honest, it's it's it's it's great to hear. It really is because it just shows you that any like because obviously around the world. I'm when I went for my I did my basics. I went from my RSPH level 2 awarding pest management. Now I was never at school.

15:58 I was never the cleverest. I passed it. I will admit I passed a rat's pit and I failed the invertebrates and the half and safe just by few points second time when I done it. But most people, when they stick their mind to it, anyone can achieve it. Might with some people it might take longer, but I believe it's an industry that anyone can be in. I honestly believe that because it's not, it's more Obviously you've still got to do some exams and stuff, but it's something you can work a way out at your own pace.

16:34 You can, you can do a lot of learning at home. You can. If there's certain things you're struggling with, you literally could print it out and stick it on your bedroom wall or something. You could. That's what I did with some of my learning because I couldn't, I couldn't. Everyone learns differently and I think it's a great industry for, I think anyone can do it if they, you put your mind to it and you you get a little bit of a passion for it. I think you can and I think so far you've done really well.

17:06 I do. Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Yeah. And even now you're talking to me on the Internet. We're live on the Internet. You're doing really well, mate. You really. You really are. You really are. Hey, where is Martin anyway? So he was going to. It was front seat row. I've not seen him comment and chat yet. Where are you, Martin? Come on, say hello. He's slacking. He's slacking. Yes, but no. Sorry to interrupt. You there? Yeah. Typical Martin now. But no, it's good to. So when when you started working with in the pest control bit, there he is, he was watching then a lot high, high, there he is, there he is.

17:57 So he was, he was watching. So when you first started, they first took you on in the pest control bit. How did it go? Like what kind of things did? Here you go. That's a good comment for you. He's making me proud. There's another one as well from Jason, he said. You have one thing, Owen, that is lacking in a lot of young people these days. That is a good work ethic, good work ethic. Keep everybody thank. You. Very much, yeah. It's good to hear it is. But So what kind of things they get you doing, like going around with them?

18:36 Did they teach you how to check monitoring points? And yes, what was it like? Well, at the start it was just easing me into it. Even now there's they're trying to get me thinking even now try and get me thinking on my own. But at the start it was just routine wise, checking your monitor box, checking, you know, monitor box in kitchens outside, right? Just the basics at the start. And then they kind of easing me into doing different bits. So let's say, for example, one day it could be checking your wrap boxes, the next bit it could be checking pigeons, see if there's any pigeon mess or etcetera, or it's so on.

19:33 So and, and to fit because I have no clue about it. I was kind of struggling a bit because I just, I'm like, oh, I don't know. But I did enjoy being around the guys that made me very comfortable thinking it's OK, you're very new to this. That's the point of time. Exactly. That's that's the way to do it. I know, I know how Martin is and that is very much, he's very good at guiding because even, even because I'm obviously on the board of the MPTA, Martin's took me on his wing and he's taught me a lot and I have a lot to thank him for that.

20:14 He's he's helped me a lot and it's obviously different on the board, but he's, he's taught me a lot of things. He also said electronic fly killing servicing you've been doing. Yes, yes, we've really been doing one at the hospital. And yeah, it's like, for example, a kitchen. Had they brought all these cheap ones? The cheap. Yes, they all do, don't they? Yeah, it's and then it's just when I brought it down, I'm carrying it and then halfway through go into the van, it's snapped in off and it's been there for a while apparently.

20:58 So it's, it's been there a lot longer since I was in pest control working in general. So I was like, Oh no, I broke it. I don't know. I don't know what to do. I told Martin about it. He said don't worry about it. It's, it's a rubbish one. It's a rubbish cheap one. Yeah, if it's our fault for buying cheap at the end of the day and it broke, so yeah, I bet you're panicking a bit. You were like, Oh no, I just broke it. Yeah, on I I hope people don't take that up my weight. I don't. Want did they did they replace it with a decent one or was it just another?

21:36 Cheap one. We're we're in discussions about it because could it go through the hostel? Oh. It will, yeah. It's got to go through the official, official ways. It will. They'll probably replace it with LED glue board. Probably. Yeah, maybe. Who knows who? Knows. Apparently you've done here Martin saying you've also been with him to do some Moss treatments. That right. Oh. What sorry can? You say that again. Wasp treatments. Yeah, I've done. I've done a few of them. Was that the hospital? Yeah, yeah.

22:13 What do you think to that then? What do you think to do in Moss Treat? What do you think to that then? Quite interesting to like it's, you've got to have a bit of patience, which I need to still get better at being patient. But when you find it where they go in and out, it's kind of satisfying. And then you get it, you got it, you know you've done it. And it's like it's, it's just satisfying to see you've got the job done, if that makes sense. Yeah, I know it. No, it definitely does with. Obviously you know the reaction when you've got it, don't you?

22:49 Yeah. They don't. Bar me yeah. In and out, In and out, In and out, yeah. Just keep your distance. Even if you've got your suit on, just keep your distance so I can't see you. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So we did. Yeah, we did a couple in between brick the brickwork and whatnot. Yeah. We did. We did a couple on a in a floor. I've done a. We did. Nice, yeah. Yeah. So I've, I was a bit like that's different usually higher in higher buildings. Well, that's my first thought. Yeah, I mean, I'll be honest with you.

23:28 I've done one in a Hoover. Oh, Oh, well, honestly Dyson a couple of years ago, a few years ago at someone's house and it was like a big shed thing and the lady goes to keep this loads of Wasps in here. And so we followed it round and it's like, do you not use your Hoover? No, I've got, I've got a different Hoover. Well, it says you won't be using this Hoover. So we pulled it outside and yeah, it made an entire wasp nest in someone's Dyson Hoover. It was obviously knackered, but obviously with that you don't use dust.

24:08 You've got to use aerosol for that. But yeah, they they can literally make nests anywhere. They're very clever, yeah. Yeah, there's like a lot of like, pests, you think, wow, they are actually very, very smart in some cases, smarter than humans in some cases. They are, I mean has Martin ever at the hospital brought his own thermal thermal camera with him to help your wast nests or does he not? No, but he has shown me how he uses it and why he uses it and etcetera. So I have seen him use it but not in the hospital.

24:50 No, that's fair. I mean, are you are you used it last year to do a wast nest because I was it was in there like a Porter cabin. It was the lady that lived in front of the house, her son's house, she was living there and he went round the back and the Wasps were going in at the bottom. So what was happening was them going in, they were travelling upwards and that's what they were doing. But they were she, they were right in the corner of the room. So I went like that with a firm mole. I said to her they're there.

25:22 So I had to Pierce a hole and do it with insecticide. That way I knew they were dead because I said, I said after I took a photo, I said it's gone blue now dad, it's cold but but that's what thermals come can come and in handy for now, especially with the the powders changing especially. We, we even did one in the hostel where there was like AI don't know what sort of lights are. It's like a lamp like this. It's like a very old fashioned night outside. And OK. I don't look around the building, they're complaining or what I'm like, I can't see anything and.

26:02 I think them ones that get really hot, they could burn you when they're really old. When the old ones. Yeah, it's like any, any time of the day. It's like the light is on. Oh. So yeah. So nice for the wash to live above because it was light there, the sea was there, but there was a bit of gap in between the light and the ceiling and I see like 3 or 4 Wasps coming in and out of that area. That same spot I thought got you. So I've obviously I can't do anything because I can't touch anything. Yeah.

26:43 Because I'm still in training etcetera. So. I called. So I called Martin and say, oh, can you do this job? And he said, yeah, no problem. And I showed him where it was and he did it in early in the morning and they're not complained ever since. Oh, that's good then it's mine's also telling me that he's took you to some honey bee removals as well, is that right? Yeah, we did one at QMC. Yeah. Which is basically we, we cover all three sites of the hospital. So City Hostel, QMC, and then there's a little Rd walk, just a little.

27:30 But yeah, we did one. It was like in between a brick wall. Yeah, OK. And it was, I think it's below a training facility. Yeah. Where all the student nurses going out there like training and etcetera. Yeah, and they'll they'll already do. Works there anyway. What's that? Yeah, they were taking the bricks out. Oh, were they? But before taking the bricks out, for some reason, though, they started panicking because obviously they were on like a scaffolding, so they didn't want to, they didn't want to do anything.

28:11 I think they were doing putting new Windows in. I mean, that's what they were doing. And they were like, we're not doing this job unless the bees are removed. So like, well, we need to scaffold it at a certain height for us to do the job and then do like a bit of back and forth and whatnot. So we did it one weekend with me and Martin Andy. We all went to it and then we all did the job, the bee job together, like taking the bricks out, removing the removing the the honey of the brick and then place it in a bucket, remove the beeves.

29:00 Yeah. And then can't remember if Andy put the brick back, so you might ask Martin about that. No, that's fine. That is. No, you don't. I'll be honest, I've never done honey bee removal before, so I've never done it's. I know it's Martin. Martin likes to do honey bee removals. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's his hobby to. He likes to do that in his spare time. Oh, he does. But yeah, well, well, well done for doing that. Yes, a bit more experience for you is. It's, it's all thanks to Martin really. He's he's giving, he's taking me under his wing and show me, let me experience it for myself.

29:50 Instead of him doing it, you let me experience it for myself. Oh, yeah, you can. I mean, yeah, yeah, it's a good way of doing it. It is. And obviously, I'm guessing because you did the bee removal, you you had No Fear. You weren't flapping around a little bit. Little bit. I had a bee shooter so that kept me a bit safe. It did, yeah, a little. Bit more safe as I were panicking as much. I can't. OK, I've just had another question from Martin. He's told me to ask you about your disability tattoo back on from Martin.

30:32 Yeah. I don't know what he means by it, probably I should just tell you what it is it. Basically a quote said there is ability in every disability. It's true. That's a nice, that's a nice quote and. I've seen it on, I don't know if it's social media or it was just on Google because I was looking for ideas of tattoos and I want something meaningful as my first. Well, you got to make it mean. If you're going to have a meaning, they all need to. Apparently if you can have one, you need to make it mean something.

31:08 Really. Yeah. Especially for your first tattoo, I thought it needs to be something meaningful. OK, let me try. Let me try and find a quote. And I've seen it and it's stuck by me and it because it surely I relate to and it's something it's just something I love. I just love the crow. What it mean? I have like different sort of meanings to it. It's like it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you're in a like this in a wheelchair. It doesn't matter if you know got. I don't know anything really. If you don't, you are right.

31:49 You are right. It's doesn't. Matter as long as everyone deserves a fair chance. But they do. I mean, I, I broke my knee a while ago, a few years ago. I'll tell you something that right. No, I didn't realise when people said if you're in a wheelchair, you're invisible to people. All right? I was at my shop around the court, remember? She's pushed me up and this boat. I said you're right, mate. He ignored me. He says you do know that I'm don't live in this wheelchair. I've broke my knee. Oh, sorry, mate.

32:27 It says I fuck could get up. I would. You ignored me because I was in the wheelchair. No, I didn't. I said yes, you did. You wouldn't have ignored me if I was standing up. But yeah, I I thought that was weird. That's what people say. But yeah, I thought you ignore me. I said I'm sick foot free. If I stood up, I said. I actually said you ignored me. You wouldn't. You wouldn't have said how if I was standing up. But yeah, yeah, it's not right. It's not. So, yeah, so. He wants to see the tattoo, he says.

33:00 You show it on the There we go. Oh, yeah, that's good. That that's, that's, that's nice, yeah. Yeah, got the hearing aids, obviously, because I wear hearing aids as well. So yeah, it's got a bit of a double on meaning for it. So yeah. Well, now at least it's got, at least it's got some meaning to it. Yeah. So have you got any funny jobs or anything you've been on since being with the hospital or even with Martin anywhere? Oh, little loads, yeah, too. Better. Especially Martin.

33:44 He'll he'll probably take something now he can figure something on his dog. Me at the minute. Did you a couple of days ago or yesterday track some rats to the borough? That probably wasn't you he's talking about then. He said he tracked the rats back 70 yards to the borough. It probably wasn't for you then, but. Yeah, there was a job on last week, but no so Monday and. QMC rats. QMC Rats. Yeah, and I was like, I went straight there. And obviously with Martin being

34:34 like a spy, he when elsewhere. So I'm thinking where's he gone? So I've spoke to the customer and they said oh here we've got rats running by, we keep getting rubbish and all that. So my first thought was drain. Because they had a big. Drain. They did have a big drain issue. I'm like, well they won't have it because they distorted it last. Year. Oh, OK, fair. Enough. But then when I went to nearly training, I see a massive little gap in the corner of the fence and it was smoothish, as you like. It was as smooth as you could think of.

35:18 I'm thinking, well, they're going through it all right. Well, I can't see it go any further. And then I see it connected again. And then there was a bin right next to it. I was like bingo. And then when Martin was done talking to the customer, he said you haven't looked at behind the, the the folks, have you? I said, no, all right, well, who would be your man? And then he showed me where it was. Oh, I got it completely wrong. And he showed me and he showed me a line and it was under, it was under, it was like a Burrow, but then it was, it was under a wood.

36:09 Relax. I think it went under. There it went. And then behind that it was like a massive fence. It was. And there was a massive smoovish like hole under the fence. Yeah, OK. And then it ran across and then it made another smooth line into the big bushes at the at the. So that's. Where it actually was then? Yeah. Yeah. And then we found, well, Martin found another possible drain defect and then another borough right next to the drain. Oh, OK. So it was like it was all connected on to like we tried to figure out where's the home?

37:01 Yeah, where's the where do they work and where they're running from? And we tried to connect the dots and we kind of got it in the end. Yeah, Martin mentioned that to me. He likes to talk about where the rats work and where the where the rats home is. We did. Yeah, that's easy for me. Yeah, it's easy for me. There's like another example he likes to give and it helps me a bit. It's like when the rats are around the bins, it's like, well, if you put a bait down near the bins, which is which one do you think the rats are going to go to?

37:42 It's like the bins are McDonald's and they're baits, KFC, they're actually going to give more to the McDonald's than they are with the KC. So that's another example that I like how Martin explains rat issues and etcetera. Yeah, he has. Yeah. It's a good way of explaining, explaining it because I was when I drove up to Milton Keynes last year, I obviously Martin drove to mine and I drove him up, not to Milton Keynes to look around the venue. It was. And I had a master class. I was just listening to him talking to customers and it was like listening to a master class in how to answer the phone to a customer.

38:28 You know, he's very good on the phone. He really is. I said no, I've got one. I've got a question for you. So no, no, it's nothing. It's nothing, no taxi mate, don't worry, don't. I told you that. So what are your thoughts on the safe use of rudenticides? Would you recommend it to new people within the industry to get them just a few basics down? Yeah, definitely, definitely, because you need to know what you kind of got use. You do that's. That's true for what you're using it on, because they'll tell you on the label.

39:14 This is only for brown rats, ratters, ratches, etcetera. There you go. Ratius, Ratius. And you Ratius. Nor Vegas. I always say it wrong. You say people say, oh you've said that wrong, but loads of people say that one differently. Yeah, I I just let Marty say it so I don't look stupid. I'll. Tell you a lot of the time, well, a lot of people say that one differently and some people say nor Vegas, some people say nor Vegas. I don't know how you actually say it properly. Either and yeah so you need but you also need to know legally as well by the law.

39:56 So I advise even if you've done pest control for 30 odd years and you don't and you don't know the new updates yet, you still need to do it just in case. That there's like new laws that you you can and can't do. You don't. So what is the label top?

40:23 Of my head. Oh dear.

40:27 What sort of label? What? What? When you read the label, what is it? Label is it's a 3 letter word.

40:38 Label is law. But. That's the saying anyway. I don't know if it's on the exam or anything, but that's the most the most most common thing that goes labels law. However, you will find out a lot of people don't read the label. Yeah. Well, Martin's Tommy from day one always read the label so you don't what you can and can't use it on. Oh, it's right. It is. So was the CMPTAS course is is fairly new. You, you, you went on that. Is it? Is it good? Yeah, yeah, I did all day course last, no, a couple weeks ago with Martin and then I did one with Martin again last week.

41:26 It was on the roads course. It was all day course. On the road. Oh, right. So you. You mean Nottingham on the road day? Yeah, yeah, I think. It was Eastwood Hall. It was, yeah. I unfortunately couldn't make it to that one because I was doing, I did Davey Brown's Kill Germ drainage course on the day after, so that would have been the first day. So it's too much to take two days out. So we just opted for the the warning, the drainage course because we've got a dream camera now. We also start playing with them.

42:09 But now did did you have a good time at the MPTA on the road day? Yeah, there's some interesting stuff and then I feel like there's some that was kind of the same in a way. Yeah. But there was like, there was some good stuff. You've got a good video from the last year as well. I watched that again recently. The the video you were talking about getting into pest control as a young person. Yes, yes. Yes, I really watched that. I watched the Nottingham, Nottingham College one. I watched that as well.

42:46 I did. But yeah, you got on camera mate. You rock me, you are. Yeah, that's that's that's all Thanks to Martin. He convinces me to do it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's good, it's good. It is. So yeah, you'd recommend it? Obviously I've been a few years since I've done mine, but I obviously done the RSPH level 2 awarding pest management. But I do my CBD, I get more CPD. You can never imagine 75 last year. So that's 75 hours. But some of that's podcasts though, so it's not like it's 75 days of full courses.

43:33 It's not good because I, I go with the British pest register. I do do CPD, but no, it's I've got another one for Martin. I have because he gave me some questions. So do you in the in the future? Not now in the future. Do you ever think your take want to take? You don't have to obviously the RSPH at level 2 award in pest management, the one up. Do you think you'll ever, ever want to take that in the future? If I can collect as much information into my head, yeah, definitely. Yeah, because they are changing it up a little bit.

44:20 They are. They're like soon they're doing a future framework and it will be, that will be level, that will be deemed Level 3. But I do believe they're trying to implement a bit of practical in with it. They are. So it's not just, this is what I've heard. I don't know if it's true. So I'm not in that. But I know there was a big push. Certain people wanted a bit of practical involved. I don't know if it's happening. I'm not involved in that. I'm not. But there was, there was mention of it. There was, but yeah, but I don't know, because you can have sort of people on the course that I was on in an exam that you can actually have somebody sit with you and say you don't understand the question.

45:06 They can, they can get you to give you the question, don't tell you that. They won't tell you the answer, but they can explain it in a different way so you can understand it. So there is help in sometimes if you don't understand the question, they can, they're allowed to reframe it in a way so you could understand what it means. So they they are allowed to do that. They are which, so it's which is good. Yeah, that's really because obviously with certain words I don't understand anymore, other people might do so.

45:40 I might feel that I'm getting tripped here with certain questions. So I get that because you'll be surprised. Even questions I got wrong. That's see, that's the thing when you fail because I have you don't tell me what questions you got wrong. You don't. That's the. Thing that's the thing I did that with a couple weeks ago me and mine did a course and it was like a test at the end and I failed my 3 marks. Oh, that's a. Bit, yeah, you're nearly there, yeah. I was gutted but I'm like I need to know what I've got wrong.

46:21 Oh, I would imagine though, with that the exam would be exactly the same. But when you take the other one, the one up there's at the minute there's a few different sample papers of the same 1. So you could get different questions. But with that I'm probably you can probably get the same questions. Yeah, yeah. So I'm like, I've got because how many points that I think how many points to get a pass. Yeah, I was feeling about that, but I. You'll you'll you'll you'll do well next time because three points 3 marks is nothing.

46:58 You'll do you will. No worries. I have every. So I have that, but I have more feeling that I couldn't know which ones I got wrong and which ones I got right. And they never seem to tell you that. I don't know why, but they they don't see if you've passed or you've failed and oh, you missed it by this amount of mark. But Jason has just asked, has Martin given you a British pest management manual to flick through? What? Sorry. The British pest manual to flick through. There's like a book this thick.

47:37 Rather Martin's got 1 to flick through. No, probably. I don't know if Martin's got one, but most people have one. They do sleep in two hours after reading that. You just cut it up into little bits and read a little bit each time when you cook because that's what I do. A little bit. If it doesn't it with me. It doesn't always go in. Everyone learns differently. Some people love audio podcasts and sit there with the notes. That's a good tip. You ever listen to podcasts? Just take notes if you can to remember because not everything goes in.

48:09 Everyone learns differently. They do a day, Martin tells me. You're a bit of a football fan. Is that right? The Celtics. Yeah, yeah, yeah, a bit of a football freak in. The Celtics. I'm joking. It's the Rangers. Rangers. Yeah, the blue size I. Reckon you've got like a season ticket, is that right? Yeah, yeah, that's some. Dedication, that is. Yeah, well, I go up in a group, Yeah. And it's called Sheffield Districts. So the guy that runs it, you like he lived in or you were born and raised in Sheffield, but he moved to Mansfield.

48:58 I think that's the story. So that's why it's called Sheffield Districts. But it it could go from start from Mansfield and drive up to different places and they drive up to Glasgow. Nice. Do you vote? Do do do do you go to most of the games then? Most of. Them, Yeah, yeah, I try to get as many. I try to go to as many as I can get to. That's good to hear. I think on the way up to Scotland, the dedication for that. Yeah, but I don't, I don't like to do the overnight trip. I do it all in one day. Yeah.

49:35 No, that's fine. That's it. It's it's. It just makes it a long weekend. Oh no, no, it will. No, it will. It definitely will. He mentioned that to me. He's mentioned the Rangers and I said to him, what's their biggest rival? I don't know. So I was guessing it was Celtics. Is it not Celtics your biggest rival? Oh, of course. So I was guessing because I, I, I think my uncle's a Rangers fan. He's a he's Scottish. Oh yeah, I. Think he's Rangers fan, I can't remember he's more than so I think it's Rangers.

50:13 I think it is using Corby. That's called, used to be called many Scotland that you know. Yeah, I am. But yeah, obviously my main club is Forest. That was my first team that I supported. But I started going to watch Rangers Crisp my dad like Rangers. Yeah. He's always has a soft spot for him. So I thought, you know what, I'll try and get to Mary's two game. I suppose I didn't really like it at first because I didn't like the trouble. That was the main issue was the trouble. And then we kept going and going.

50:54 I thought, you know what, it's not as bad as I thought it was. And then how? Many hours. Does it take on the booth? Then I presume it's a coach, Is it? Sometimes car, sometimes bus it. Depends. Oh, see. OK. It depends on how many people go oh. OK. Is it like 3 or 4 hours? I don't know how far it is. Fall off drive, maybe push into five hours if traffic. That is, yeah. That's a long yeah. I've never driven that long. I've never driven that long. I haven't. I haven't. It's all worth it once you're there, that's what.

51:34 I think it will be, yeah, especially if you, especially if your team wins, yeah. If if it's a last thing it's it's a long long dry Rd. Yes, Yeah. See, do you ever want to? Would you ever start in the future if you were able to? And I'm not talking now, I'm talking about in the future, would you ever want but your own little pest control company by yourself like like like Martin is, you know? Absolutely, 100%. I would love to if I could. I would do it tomorrow if I could, but obviously I can't at the minute.

52:17 But yeah, I would absolutely love to. But I'm quite different to a lot of perfect controls that I've been around. I I like to have my family around me. So I would like to have maybe my sister do one thing my dad helped me hands on and also I like to have my family around me to if I want if I wants to do have my personal pest control company, that was what I would like. Yeah. I mean, I'll be honest, like my, like our business Open Pest Control where I work with my dad and we're all family. There's only two of us, but yeah, I I've never worked with anyone else.

53:03 That ain't family. So I I know exactly what it's like. You've obviously worked with Martin at the hospital. I've never obviously I've had jobs before. I just mean within pest control. I've never worked with anyone else. I have such in actual doing the jobs I haven't, but now that that's good that is. Yeah, I I just like to have people around at my potential future company is so that I have my best interest, you're right. And someone that I can trust, right, pest wise, money wise, everything. Yeah, I. Do understand because it's a yeah, you could get a wrong person throw you over.

53:51 Yeah, exactly. And I just I just. I'm saying everyone's like that, but you've got to be where we haven't you. Yeah, right. It's it's in a weird way, it's a cold world out there. You're not wrong. It's it's just like something could be around you for the wrong reasons and obviously I don't want that. No, you don't. You've obviously got to be more. You've got to be very wary. You have. But, you know, I just thought I'd ask you that if you ever wanted to be, because a lot of people aspire to be eventually.

54:24 Some do it, some don't. It's whether it happens, it happens. It. Yeah. But yeah, obviously you get some more experience down if you want to do it in the future, you can, you know, But yeah, it's, I mean, have you seen the Mptas 5 to 25? Have you seen that, that engender scheme they've got where they put you put your RSPH Level 2 award, Have you seen that scheme? No, no, it's all about young people. I'm like, no, if that. Yeah, I have. I think I have seen it advertised. Yeah, they put you through you, you, they, they, they give you support, mentorship and they put you through the qualification, the qualifications, sorry.

55:12 And they give you extra training. I think Mark, Mark and Duncan, the technical trainers, they do online training with people as well, etcetera. I just just, I think it's good for the industry. I do. Yeah, I think I've seen it because I was on the website and I think I've seen it pop up, but I'm not excuse you on what it's about. And I was going to ask Martin, but I forgot to ask him to be fair. But yeah. Right, he's watching anyway, so yeah, can. You tell me, Martin. You need to tell me, mate. Yeah, so.

55:46 But yeah, is is there any situations at the hospital within pest control that's obviously within the hospital that has massively taught you something big where you like. It was a big learning curve, but you, Martin worded it a certain way and you just got it. I've had anything like that yet. Yeah, there's been a few is where I've gone a certain way even. Like I mean I know how you try to do it this way, but maybe do it this way? Yeah. But I'm trying to think of a couple, right? Now, no, you're fine.

56:29 But now I just, I just thought I'd ask because sometimes, yeah, someone can word something a different way and it's like, I've got it. Yeah, it's like when I I go a certain way, Martin says, Well, you should have done it this way or you should have added this many or, you know, stuff like that. I'm like, well, I don't know, I'd not think that. It happens you can even even people with tonnes of experience can have brain fart and just just not know it's it's it can happen. We're not all you know we're not all we're not all, you know expert.

57:13 Obviously we are trained, but we all make mistakes. We all could you know do it a different way. Sometimes it's wrong, but you learn from experience, don't you? You do, you do. But yeah, definitely it's been a good, it's been a good chatter in it as I think, yeah, really, really. You've got a good work. You seem to have got a good work work ethic. I think. I think you'll go far. But Martin has also asked me to put and he's put. There's a very big thank you to Project Search and the End Nottingham.

57:53 What's that? What's the NUH? Not a University Hospital I think. Yeah, Nottingham University Hospital. We will be looking for a new apprentice this year. Yeah, you can train The Apprentice. You can. No, no. What Marty do? Marty tried to get rid of me. That's what he's doing. I say I don't think that he like he he does like you, yeah. I've had enough of. You no, but yeah it's a great project and yeah it it it's obviously blown up a bit you mentioned since since you've you've done it and I think it's a good thing I do it it really is he's looking for looking for a new apprentice this year you.

58:35 Yes, yeah. And he said to me about it early, late last year, he said, but we are looking for a new apprentice and we want you to direct them a certain way, the way, yeah, way we've done it for you. I mean, I'm like bit of a bit of a big responsibility, but I'm willing to do it if you guys trust me enough to train them so. That's that's really nice. That is it's, it shows how far you've come and how much confidence the guys you work with I've got in you. It does. Yeah, it feels nice. And it feels nice because I've, I have been doing a couple talks because with the Project Search, the teachers have asked me to do a talk for when the new students come in for the new year.

59:36 They want, they want me to give out their opinions. How good? Basically big the subject up or big the course up. But it convinces the kids to come and go on the course, enjoy it, and be taking a job out of it at the end. Oh, that's good. So basically not like a like a like a case study, testimonial review kind of stuff. Yes to. Promote it. Yeah. So they think who's the best possible, the best person who's come out of this job and it's actually exceeded and excelled, and the person they could think of at the minute is me.

1:00:20 And I was. So yeah, I might need to charge you the future reference, but for now I'll do it for free. Pick me up in a Pick me up in a limousine. Yeah, if you, if you have an autograph, you, you've got a fever. But no, no, honestly, honestly about your credit to your family, your mum and dad, I think you've done really well. And I, I think, I think, I think it's a job that, well, sorry, I reframed that. It's not a job, it's it's a career. I think pest management is or pest control. Either way you say it.

1:00:57 So I'm just going to drop a code in. Yeah, I would like to thank. There's so many people I'd like to thank for the, the maybe I'd like to thank is my mum and dad for always backing me and always making sure I'm all right and they can tell how much I'm enjoying it. And I'd like to thank, thank my mum and dad. I also like to thank Jeff and Martin for always having this amazing belief in me that I can do it even when I doubt myself. They always say no, oh, you can do it, you can succeed. You just got to have natural instincts and trusting yourself.

1:01:44 So I like to thank those guys. I like to thank Poet Church for giving me a storm to stand on or a platform where I can build on my confidence and give me a real opportunity of getting a job towards the end. And obviously I'd like to thank MPTA, always, always continue to support, but also having some sort of training for all of us, not just me, for everyone. So I'd like to thank those guys as well. It's how your mum's proud of you, she just has messaged you on YouTube.

1:02:30 Yeah. There you go. It's good to hear mate. It's really good. I love to hear it. I know. So if you're wondering what this code is, if someone's with the British pest register, if you know for CPD points, they pop this code in and they'll get a point. So people, people would have learned from you in this podcast. So, you know, every podcast gets CPD, so there'd be learning in there somewhere. But this is more, a lot of the learnings will be towards how diverse the industry is and AI after will work it out.

1:03:09 It will. But I do think it's been a great, great interview and conversation. And yeah, thank you for you as well for giving me a platform to speak on, workable from before, how I am in between and hopefully what it's going to be like in the next maybe 5 to 10 years do pest control. I love to hear that because Martin was saying, I forgot to ask you. He says where does he want to be in 10 years. I thought what the pest control company kind of covers it. But it is nice to hear that you want us to remain in remain in the pest control.

1:03:47 Yeah, without pest control, I won't have this amazing confidence that I've got now. Without pest control, I won't be amazing people like yourself and Martin and Jeff and Jason and everyone and and it's and without pest control is there's going to be a lot more issues with rats. Yeah, no, you're right. Public health people need to learn more. Where I'm trying to reframe a lot of my social posts to public health because a lot of people don't think of it like that. They think, ah, you just kill things.

1:04:26 You don't always have to kill things, you know? I feel like everyone, even if they're not interested, they should have a little bit of knowledge about it. It's like we're not trying to kill things. We try to prevent it from something badly happening, for example, obviously your public health and etcetera, pest damage, etcetera. Exactly. So I feel like everyone should need to have a sit down, even talk, just to know why we're doing this, for what reason. No, you're exactly right. It's like, yeah, then then grey squirrels look cute.

1:05:06 I'm not. Yeah. Into the getting you lost space. Ensure your electrical cables start fire. Very cute. Till then. Oh, don't do that. That's what we can do. Yeah. So, you know, to get in, there are things like that. But you, you, you're very much right. But yeah, thanks Owen for coming. On. And stay on for a minute. I'll just end the stream. But yeah, yeah, thanks Owen for coming on. It's been a great conversation. And give a credit to yourself and your family, mate. You've done really well. Thank you very much.

1:05:44 All right, And thanks everyone for watching. Thank you.