Timely intervention by City Building means that 30 apprentices – in the last two years – can now complete their training.

City Building has come to the rescue of 30 unemployed trainee apprentices over the past 24 months to help them complete their training after their original employers made them redundant.

As one of Scotland’s largest construction companies, City Building has enabled these construction apprentices to continue their training, so that they will be able to make a positive contribution to the economy on completion of their apprenticeship.

City Building is Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction firm and its award-winning Queenslie Training Centre is among the most successful apprentice-training bases in Scotland. It has been a major player in the construction industry for almost 20 years.

City Building delivers training to over 500 apprentices each year for such skills as painting and decorating, joinery, plumbing, electrical, roofing and construction operations.

Baillie Jim Todd, chair of City Building, said: “In these challenging economic conditions it is vital that apprentices are still able to learn their trade. We are in the fortunate position of being able to step in and help these unemployed apprentices complete their training.

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“An impressive 95 per cent of apprentices complete their training with us, compared to an industry average of 58 per cent. That is something we take enormous pride in.”

He added: “The skills they learn with us during their training really set them on the right path from an early age. Apprenticeships teach important lifeskills and give young people a stake in society.”

Michael Levack, Employers’ Secretary of The Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC) hailed the initiative. He said: “Maximizing apprenticeship opportunities for young people is crucial to ensuring industry has the workforce in place to meet demand over the years ahead.

“I am pleased to see City Building maintaining such a strong commitment to delivering apprenticeships in Glasgow. Their efforts to allow unemployed apprentices to complete their training will benefit industry by providing a continued supply of suitably skilled young workers to meet the industry’s future skills requirements. Long may their efforts continue.”

City Building apprentice Stefan Brown, aged 20 from Possilpark who works as an apprentice joiner, said: “City Building have enabled me to complete my training which means I now have a far better chance of reaching my goal of becoming a joiner.

“The skills I am now acquiring will set me up for the rest of my professional life. City Building has in effect given me and dozens of other apprentices a second chance. That’s something we are really grateful for.”

City Building’s impressive average apprentice training completion rate of 95 per cent is due to their award-winning training and wrap-around support. Recent awards include the Trades House Modern Apprentice of the Year 2010, Johnston Leyland Young Decorator of the Year and the James Birnie Craft Excellence Apprentice of the Year.

(GK)