A Moray house builder has joined the Press and Journal’s Apprentice 100 campaign after pledging to hand a young person the keys to a successful career.
Elgin-based Springfield Properties, which has major developments across Scotland, will recruit a trainee joiner as part of our crusade to create a wealth of new employment opportunities for talented youngsters.
The move ties-in with Springfield’s policy of putting its faith in youth – apprentices make up about 10% of the company’s 440-strong workforce.
Legal and HR administrator, Diane Kemp, said Springfield was delighted to have reached the target at a time when the loss of experienced tradesmen to retirement threatened to leave the construction sector in a quandary.
Ms Kemp said: “The workforce is ageing and the concern is that tradesmen are going to move on and leave us with a skills gap.
“There are small pockets of tradesmen, such as roughcasters, who are in short supply and if there are no young people coming in for them to pass on their knowledge the sector will have a problem.
“I think apprenticeships will go a long way to solving the problem. That’s why it is important for us to find talented young people and develop their skills so that they can take the business forward.”
Simon Allan, an apprentice civil engineer, said his career was in danger of reaching a dead end before the opportunity to work for Springfield cropped up.
Mr Allan, from Forres, said: “I joined 19 months ago after 10 years as a postman. I got to the age of 30 and decided if I didn’t do something with my career at that point I never would. I’m very happy at Springfield. I wish I had joined years ago.”
Trainee scaffolder Conn Hysert got the job nearly two years ago, having previously worked for a company which specialised in asbestos removal.
Mr Hysert, 20, said the traineeship had been hugely beneficial and he had learned a lot about safety and other trades which rely on the use of scaffolding.
Once he completes his apprenticeship Mr Hysert is keen to climb the career ladder to become a supervisor.
The apprentice joiner position at Springfield Properties will be advertised on the careers section of the firm’s website at www.springfield.co.uk/careers.