Developer gives bursaries to East Dunbartonshire pupils

Three East Dunbartonshire pupils were each presented with a cheque for £3,000 by Managing Director Ian Thomson at George Wimpey's West Scotland Paisley-based headquarters at Glasgow Airport Business Park on 3 June 2008.

Last year the East Dunbartonshire Council Enterprise in Education team signed an enterprise in education partnership agreement with George Wimpey West Scotland Ltd. As part of the ‘Determined to Succeed' programme, the company agreed to provide one university bursary to the value of £3000, each year for the next three years.

However, when five young people were interviewed by the company, they impressed the interview panel so much that Managing Director, Ian Thomson, decided to offer bursaries to three East Dunbartonshire pupils this year. The bursary was available to all East Dunbartonshire pupils applying to Scottish universities to begin courses in October 2008 related to Construction, Engineering, Economics, Finance or Marketing.

The three pupils are Gillian Pettigrew from Bishopbriggs Academy, Duncan Smart from Douglas Academy, Milngavie and Alexander Morton from Lenzie Academy. Duncan has accepted a place at St Andrews University to study Sustainable Development, Alexander is planning to study physics while Gillian is interested in civil engineering.

Gillian wrote in her application "Since 2002 I have had an interest in the construction industry. It was actually the extension of my house that sparked my enthusiasm for building projects. Being given the opportunity by my parents to get involved in some of the decision making, gave me the chance to understand the processes from conception to implementation."

Councillor Una Walker, Convener of The Education and Cultural Services said, "This is a wonderful opportunity and a great start for these young people. I also must extend the thanks of East Dunbartonshire Council to George Wimpey West Scotland and Ian Thomson for the three generous bursaries presented today.

"The Determined to Succeed team in East Dunbartonshire are doing tremendous work with companies like George Wimpey West Scotland and pupils throughout the region, and I would like to encourage others to come onboard."

As well as the financial benefits, the young people will be given the opportunity to gain work experience or summer employment with the company. There are benefits for both the young people and the company as Ian Thomson, Managing Director for George Wimpey West Scotland explains:

"George Wimpey's Builders of Tomorrow' programme offers us access to fresh and original thinking of young people and teachers. In this, our first year of these awards, I've already been so impressed by the ideas, originality and professionalism of the candidates, that all three front-runners - Gillian, Duncan and Alexander - have been given a bursary to the value of £3,000.

"They'll each receive £1,000 each year for the next three academic years in order to support their further education. We'll also have the pleasure of working directly with them during their work experience, and I'm looking forward to the fresh insight that their youth and passion will bring to our business.

"In addition, this project allows us to play a major role in developing the skills that businesses will look for in its future workforce, whilst also providing our own staff with personal development opportunities. It's also an opportunity for the company to fulfil some of its key corporate and social responsibilities."

George Wimpey's ‘Builders of Tomorrow' programme is a three-year agreement with East Dunbartonshire Council which forms part of the ‘Determined to Succeed' programme. During this period, it will deliver a comprehensive mix of work experience for 16 pupils, work shadowing for 20 teachers, and a range of business support activities designed to give a sense of realism to both pupils' learning and teachers' ability to make lesson relevant for business today.

The presentation of these three highly-sought after bursaries is a key part of the overall commitment to East Dunbartonshire Council and the ‘Determined to Succeed' programme. Offering support in these ways allows George Wimpey to shape, support and develop our young adults to maximise their future potential as the new workforce.