City Building, Scotland's largest provider of construction apprenticeships, has achieved a record-breaking increase in apprenticeship applications following a new partnership with yattle, a youth-focused employment app designed to connect early-career talent with UK employers.

The Glasgow-based construction and maintenance firm, which currently trains more than 230 apprentices, teamed up with the youth employment specialists to broaden access to its programmes and engage with young people who are typically harder to reach via conventional recruitment channels.

The collaboration has resulted in City Building receiving 980 apprenticeship applications, representing the highest volume in the organisation's history and nearly doubling the prior year's total.

Crucially, applications from women rose by 116%, representing the highest number of female applicants the company has ever recorded. Additionally, applications from ethnic minority candidates grew by 43%, climbing from 10.9% to 15.6% of the overall applicant pool. These numbers point to an expanding interest in construction careers among young people from diverse backgrounds, highlighting the role of apprenticeships in supporting Glasgow's future workforce and economic development.

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Tracy Keenan, director of people services at City Building, said: "Apprenticeships have always been central to City Building and these results show what can be achieved when opportunities are promoted in new and more accessible ways.

"We are particularly encouraged by the increase in applications from women. City Building proudly supports the highest number of female craft apprentices in Scotland and we are passionate about showing that construction offers rewarding, long-term careers for everyone.

"This partnership with yattle has helped us connect with talented young people from communities across Glasgow who may not otherwise have considered a career in the sector. Creating those opportunities is hugely important, not only for individuals, but for the future of the industry and the wider economy."

According to City Building, the surge in applications will help bolster the pipeline of skilled workers entering the construction industry at a time of growing demand for trades across Scotland.

Alison McRae, senior director at Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and director of yattle said: "yattle's mission is to help businesses connect with local talent more effectively, and our partnership with City Building is delivering exactly that.

"These results demonstrate the value of targeted recruitment through the right platforms, ensuring opportunities are visible, accessible and promoted in a way that resonates with young people. By doing so, we are helping talented individuals discover career paths they may not have previously considered or believed were open to them.

"The business community has told us that engaging young people in the recruitment process can be challenging, which is why our approach is designed to simplify and streamline hiring, creating better outcomes for both businesses and candidates.

"We are incredibly proud of the early success of this partnership and look forward to supporting even more businesses and young people to realise their potential in the years ahead."