City Building, one of Scotland's largest apprenticeship providers, has retained the prestigious Investors in Young People (IYP) Platinum Award, securing the top accreditation for a second time with the renewal of its three-year status.

The business was the first construction firm to attain the Platinum standard and only the fourth organisation in Scotland to do so, underscoring its leadership in youth employment and training.

Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee, marked the achievement during a site visit that highlighted City Building's role in skills development, training and inclusive employment. The Platinum standard recognises excellence in supporting young people across mental health, financial wellbeing, fair work and meta skills.

During the visit, Mr McKee met apprentices at RSBi, City Building's manufacturing division, which is Europe's largest supported business and among the UK's leading social enterprises. More than half of RSBi's 200 employees have a disability, reflecting the organisation's longstanding commitment to equality, diversity and inclusive employment.

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The accolade coincides with City Building welcoming 55 new apprentices. The firm has also been able to offer employment to 49 new timeout apprentices with support from Glasgow City Council and Wheatley Housing Group.

Employing around 1,800 people, City Building delivers repairs, maintenance, manufacturing, construction and refurbishment services for Glasgow City Council, Wheatley Housing Group and a range of public, private and third sector clients. Its work spans gas safety, fire and smoke detector testing, fire doors, asbestos and legionella checks, Portable Appliance Testing, emergency and planned repairs, major refurbishments, new builds, specialist services, manufacturing, training and carbon-reduction retrofits.

Sharon Wearing, executive director, City Building, said: "This is a remarkable achievement for our organisation, reflecting not only our commitment to excellence but also our status as a best-in-class employer dedicated to developing the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

"Receiving this recognition as we welcome a new intake of apprentices is a timely reminder of the life-changing opportunities that modern apprenticeships provide for individuals who pursue them, the communities we serve, and the wider economy."

Ivan McKee, minister for public finance, Scottish Government said: "This achievement demonstrates City Building's commitment to developing Scotland's young workforce and creating opportunities that can transform lives."

"We are backing organisations like City Building to deliver high- quality training and skills development that workers need. Through our £2 million Union Learning Fund, we're supporting 23 programmes across Scotland, including expanding access to literacy and numeracy courses for some employees at City Building."