The north-east’s leading house builder has revealed an apprenticeship gave him the vital confidence needed to succeed.
Before entering the construction industry Stewart Milne studied to become an electrician which he claims showed him how to pay attention to detail.
He left school at the age of 15 having not shown much of an interest in academic subjects.
But it was during an apprenticeship he found out he had picked up a lot more than he realised.
Mr Milne said: “I left school at 15 and wanted to do an apprenticeship as an electrician, but I hadn’t realised you needed to be 16 to do one of those.
“When I started it I was put on day release, which meant you had to go to the college one day a week to study.
“I wasn’t overly keen on it at the start but the teachers took a real interest in my development and I realised I had picked up lot more at school than I realised.
“I learnt how to pay attention to detail.”
It was this skill which proved vital to Mr Milne as he set out into the world of work.
At the age of 21 he set up a business which dealt in kitchen and bathroom conversions.
Mr Milne said: “The key was to be able to offer a unique services.
“I could get done in three days what would have taken others three weeks to get done.”
And having benefited so much from an apprenticeship himself Mr Milne offers plenty in his company, which he believes can offer real advantages to youngsters.
He said: “We have around 40 apprentices with us at any given time.
“Some of them stay with us – we have people in the company who have been here for 30 years who started off as apprentices.
“We have apprentices all across the UK in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Oxford.
“There are obvious benefits for young people in getting an apprenticeship.
“One of the real advantages is that it brings you into the world of work and they make you a much more rounded individual.”
He added: “Most people in construction recognise that we have go to out and sell the industry.
“We have people who go round schools and give talks.
“Apprenticeships are a big part of the education system.”
