An engineering firm has taken on two apprentices following support from North Ayrshire Council.

Apprentices Brendan O'Reilly, from Irvine, and Darren Gowrie, from Stevenston, started work with McEvoy Engineering last month.

The three-year apprenticeships will give the young workers on-the-job training and college qualifications.

The council's economic development team worked in collaboration with McEvoy to help them take on the apprentices.

McEvoy Engineering's managing director Chris McEvoy said: "There is a shortage of skilled labour in our industry. But we felt that we couldn't just complain about it; we had to help to try and address the issue.

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"We felt it was essential to make our contribution to improving the skills available through employing and training apprentices. Support from North Ayrshire Council's economic development team has allowed us to do that."

The North Ayrshire economic development team provided support to enable the company to train their employees before introducing the firm to the Apprenticeship Scheme. The scheme provides financial incentives, funding for training and wage subsidies for businesses taking on a young person aged 16 to 24-years-old.

Mr McEvoy said: "The Apprenticeship Scheme and wage subsidy support from North Ayrshire Council came about at the right time for us. Without it we would not have been in a position to take on two apprentices, giving them the opportunity to train and learn a trade."

North Ayrshire Council's Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Marie Burns said that she hopes more local firms make the most of the support available.

"McEvoy Engineering has shown that businesses can develop and grow if given the right support," she said.

"Help is available to businesses who have had assistance from the Council in the past and to firms who are new to our support services."

(IT)