Baxi’s Paul Haynes praises apprenticeships at the annual JTL Apprenticeship Awards, Plaisterers Hall, City of London.

Baxi's Product, Solutions and Marketing director Paul Haynes reflects on his own career, the value of pushing forward, and the critical role of today’s apprenticeships in our rapidly transforming sector.

About JTL

JTL is a not-for-profit organisation, specialising in apprenticeship training for the electrical and plumbing industries across England and Wales. The organisation supports around 8,000 learners and trains more apprentices within the building services engineering sector than any other provider in England and Wales.

Click here to find out more about the JTL Apprenticeship Awards

At the award ceremony, Product, Solutions and Marketing director Paul Haynes reflects on his own career, the value of pushing forward, and the critical role of today’s apprenticeships in our rapidly transforming sector.

Paul Haynes' career is a powerful example of how an apprenticeship can open doors to opportunities that may never have seemed possible at the outset. 

In his address, Paul says; “Apprenticeships don’t limit you - they launch you. They give you something incredibly powerful: real skills, real experience, and a head start that many others don’t have”.

Paul's Speech at the JTL Apprenticeship Award Ceremony

"Good afternoon everyone, Firstly, it’s a real privilege to be here celebrating what is, without doubt, one of the most important parts of our industry: apprenticeships, and the people brave enough to choose them. 

Because I was one of you. 

I left school at 16. Not with a masterplan, not knowing exactly where I’d end up, but with a desire to learn something practical - something real. I joined Potterton as a Technical Apprentice, and that decision shaped the rest of my life. 

Over the next four years, I worked across the business, learning the trade, getting hands-on experience, and eventually becoming Corgi registered. That foundation gave me an understanding of how things work in the real world, and it’s been the foundation I’ve built on ever since. 

But what surprised me was what really sparked my curiosity. 

Yes, I enjoyed the practical side, but I became fascinated by the technology behind the product… how boilers were designed, how systems worked, why decisions were made. I kept asking questions (sometimes too many, I’m sure!) but those questions opened doors. 

My curiosity took me from being on the tools, to into the office, learning about product management. From there, I moved into marketing, business development, and over time I progressed to Head of Product Marketing and Business Development. 

After 20 years in one company, I reached a point where I realised something important: If you want to keep growing, sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone. 

So I left. 

I joined a small startup called Nest, which later became part of Google. Suddenly, I was in a completely different world, fast-moving, global, technology led. I put to use every business experience I’d had and ended up as Sales and Marketing leader for Google’s smart home devices, before later moving to Amazon’s Ring to do something similar. 

These were incredible experiences, but what it really reinforced for me was this: 

At the heart of everything, whether it’s a boiler or a smart thermostat, is the same principle: understanding customers, solving problems, and constantly learning are the foundational building blocks of success. 

Ultimately, my passion for technology and for a more sustainable future brought me back to Baxi, an historic British manufacturing brand re-defining itself in the midst of an energy transition towards our shared, low carbon future. 

So, if there’s one thing I’d want to share with the apprentices joining us here today, it’s this: Never stop learning. And never stop being curious. 

You don’t need to have all the answers…. in fact, you won’t. I still don’t. 

Ask questions, even the simple ones. Listen to people, because people want to help more than you think. Write things down - you’ll be amazed how often you refer back to them. 

And don’t be afraid to try things outside your comfort zone. 

A few other bits of advice I’ve picked up along the way: 

Work hard and be reliable, because doing what you say you’ll do matters. And take pride in your craft, in the detail, the achievement and your contribution and ideas. 

Develop and build relationships from the start: your network will open doors you don’t even know exist yet. 

And importantly, back yourself, because you’re here for a reason. Apprenticeships don’t limit you - they launch you. 

They give you something incredibly powerful: real skills, real experience, and a head start that many others don’t have. 

So, whether you go on to become the best engineer in your field… run a business… lead teams… or take a slightly unexpected path into a different field that gives you new challenges and opportunity...It all starts right here. 

Finally, to all the nominees and winners today, you should be incredibly proud. You’ve chosen a path that takes commitment, resilience, and ambition. 

And if my journey proves anything, it’s this: where you start does not define where you finish. The opportunities are there if you stay curious enough to find them. 

Thank you, and enjoy the day.”