Laying the foundations for a future career

At least 10 young people will have the opportunity to build a career in the housing industry when Redrow Homes recruits a team of new apprentices this September.

The award winning housebuilder is looking to take in a minimum of 10 new apprentices across England and Wales, primarily to learn bricklaying and carpentry skills.

They will be recruited from individuals registered with ConstructionSkills, the UK’s sector skills council and industry training board.

Redrow’s commitment comes at a time when many companies have cut back on apprentices; ConstructionSkills was recently forced to announce a package of measures to help up to 2,000 ‘at risk’ trainees across the UK, whose positions had been affected by the economic downturn.

Richard Beadsmoore, group apprenticeship manager for Redrow comments: “We have always recognised that apprentices are the future lifeblood of our industry and, even in more challenging time, have continued to recruit and train young people in a number of key disciplines.

“Our apprentices undergo a combination of on-the-job and college based training to NVQ Level 2 or 3, to equip them with the knowledge, skills and experience they need to fulfil a career in the housebuilding and construction industry. It is a job with good future prospects, whether as self-employed tradesmen running their own business or progressing within the sector to eventually become a site manager and beyond.”

Redrow will be recruiting apprentices to work at various developments in England and Wales.

Mick O’Flynn, ConstructionSkills apprenticeship manager in the Midlands, says: “In our area alone we have had around 200 apprentices ‘displaced’ and we have worked hard to find them new jobs. To hear that volume housebuilders are dipping their toe back in the water is fantastic news and hopefully Redrow will lead the way for other large housebuilding firms to start recruiting apprentices again.

“We are looking for young men and women from all backgrounds, who are bright, motivated and keen to learn a trade. Many will be school leavers aged 16 to 18 but we do also recruit apprentices who are older than this and we do not specify minimum educational qualifications provided they can meet our learning requirements.”

One person who’s already enjoying the advantages of being a Redrow apprentice is 24-year-old Peter Grimes, from Plymouth, a second year carpentry apprentice who has been selected for a two-week exchange visit to an elite European college in Germany. He is participating in a challenging programme of tasks, including constructing models for traditional German timber-based homes and building a complex bridge featured in one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings.

Said Peter: “Redrow is a very good developer to work for. I wanted a job outdoors and the apprentice route seemed the best way to learn a new skill. The work offers a great variety with no two days being the same, which suits me down to the ground – and Redrow even paid for my tools!”

Redrow will recruit its new apprentices via ConstructionSkills and would-be applicants can find out more via their website: bconstructive.co.uk/apprenticeships

For more information about Redrow and its new homes go to redrow.co.uk.