Identical twins Kieran and Oliver Carter have finally found something to differentiate them – work.
However the brothers, aged 19, who colleagues describe as being ‘like two peas in a pod’ – have found employment with the same company – Warrington based Fastflow Energy Services (FES).
Kieran is on a welding apprenticeship through Alliance Learning college, while Oliver is training to be a quantity surveyor and is on a degree course at Salford University.
Before that the twins, from Coppull, near Chorley, had both been on an ICT course at college and confess to having the same taste in fashion, music and sport. But finally, FES found something they wanted to do individually.
Kieran explained: “The ICT course was OK but I didn’t find it particularly challenging or enjoyable. I wanted to do something with my hands; something more practical. My Mam was working for one of the FES directors and she told him and he said there were vacancies for apprentice welders.
“I went along for a test and an interview and was delighted to get a job – which I am really enjoying. Oliver finished the ICT course but decided that wasn’t for him either, so he also spoke with FES and got a QS position.
“I suppose he’s a bit brighter than me. He always gets more questions right when we watch quiz shows together. I tell him he might have got the brains but I’ve got the looks!”
Oliver added: “I guess we’ve always done similar things and had similar interests, so it’s good that we are now making our way in work as individuals.”
FES is part of the Fastflow Group, which also services to the gas, water and property maintenance sectors. Based in Warrington it delivers a wide range of specialist gas pipeline and above ground installation projects to clients including National Grid, Cadent Gas and Wales and West Utilities. Using innovative solutions, welded steel pipelines and associated plant, works on pipelines operating at up to 100 bar.
The company has grown rapidly since being formed in 2012 and now employs up to 300 people during busy periods. Its training activity is also robust, with seven office staff completing recognised business and administration related apprenticeships and two completing quantity surveying related degrees.
As well as the twins, there is a third welding / engineering apprentice and a number of other people preparing to begin officially recognised training programmes.
Operations Director, Benn Cottrell, said: “As we become increasingly busy we find it harder to find people with the right skills to work on our sites and so the training and apprenticeship programme addresses that issue.
“Oliver and Kieran are doing really well and now that they have to dress differently at work, we can tell them apart. Our commercial and site teams recently played a football match and with the twins on opposite sides, people kept passing to the wrong player!”
