Four Scottish teenagers have won apprenticeships with their housing association’s maintenance contractor, City Building.

The quartet beat 23 other teenagers from Sanctuary Scotland homes to get on the partnered scheme, after making their way through a rigorous recruitment process.

Three of the four apprentices live in Cumbernauld. Drew Rennie (Tarbolton Road), David Mechan (Woodland Way) and Caitlin Jones (Lennox Road) respectively started joiner, electrician and administration apprenticeships this month. The fourth apprentice, joiner Caelum McIntyre, lives in Neilston Avenue near Sanctuary Scotland’s headquarters in Priesthill, Glasgow.


David, 17, who left Cumbernauld High in the summer, won a four year electrician apprenticeship.

He said: "I'm really happy to be here. I expect the four years to go pretty quickly and can’t wait to get out onto sites."

The teenagers will spend much of their time at City Building's purpose-built training centre in Queenslie, Glasgow.

Gordon Laurie, director of Sanctuary in Scotland, said: "We at Sanctuary believe it is vital to invest in people as much as our housing stock. At a time when the job market is particularly tough for school leavers, we felt there was no better way to do this than create apprenticeships for those who reside in our homes. I am confident Drew, Caitlin, David and Caelum will do themselves, us and City Building proud."

Dr Graham Paterson, executive director of City Building, added: "This project gives our apprentices hands-on experience. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Sanctuary which, like us, believes in investing in people."

(NE)