A painter’s kind act for a little boy has inspired a new initiative aimed at encouraging kids to explore careers in trades, promoting creativity and skill.
London: A painter named James Noll has captured hearts all over the UK. He left a sweet little ‘pay packet’ for a three-year-old boy named Bobi Williams, who helped him while he was working. Bobi’s mom, Michelle, hired James to paint her home and shared the adorable moment online.
In her post, she mentioned how Bobi was super helpful during the painting job. He even got a mini ‘pay packet’ for his efforts, which made him really happy. The packet included a note praising him as an ‘excellent tiny tradesperson’ and detailed the tasks he tackled, like clearing rubbish and checking the quality of the work.
James’s thoughtful gesture quickly went viral, with many people commenting on how cute it was. One person pointed out that Bobi’s tasks included ‘asking lots of questions’ and ‘being a legend’—how fun is that?
James shared that seeing kids like Bobi getting curious and wanting to help is incredibly rewarding. He believes it’s not just about the work but also about inspiring kids to appreciate creativity and skills in trades. Bobi’s excitement reminded him of why he loves his job.
Bobi chimed in, saying he loved painting and even got paint on his finger! He enjoyed helping out and felt like a builder. His mom added that he was thrilled to receive his pay packet and is already asking when he can help again.
Inspired by this heartwarming moment, Checkatrade launched a ‘Tiny Tradespeople’ initiative. This program encourages kids to explore careers in trades by allowing tradespeople to reward young helpers with a £10 book voucher and their own mock pay packet for tasks like painting.
The initiative will run for two weeks leading up to Christmas, ending on December 23. It aims to help tradespeople recognize and appreciate the next generation of potential tradespeople. To get involved, tradespeople just need to fill out a form.
Jambu Palaniappan, CEO of Checkatrade, said they were inspired by James’s kind act to kick off the ‘Tiny Tradespeople’ initiative. He emphasized the importance of encouraging kids to consider trade professions, especially with the UK facing a shortage of skilled workers.
According to the Trade Skills Index 2024, there’s a need for 1.3 million skilled workers and 350,000 apprentices in the next decade. The ‘Tiny Tradespeople’ initiative aims to inspire young people to explore trade careers while showcasing the value of craftsmanship.