City firm ‘rescues’ redundant apprentices

Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction firm has come to the rescue of 30 unemployed apprentices over the past 24 months after their original employers made them redundant.

City Building, one of Scotland’s largest construction companies, allowed the apprentices to complete their training at its Queenslie Training Centre, which trains over 500 apprentices a year. Michael Levack, chief executive of the Scottish Building Federation, said: “Maximizing apprenticeship opportunities for young people is crucial to ensuring industry has the workforce in place to meet demand over the years ahead.

“I am pleased to see City Building maintaining such a strong commitment to delivering apprenticeships in Glasgow. Their efforts to allow unemployed apprentices to complete their training will benefit industry by providing a continued supply of suitably skilled young workers to meet the industry’s future skills requirements. Long may their efforts continue.”

Baillie Jim Todd, chairman of City Building, said: “In these challenging economic conditions it is vital that apprentices are still able to learn their trade. We are in the fortunate position of being able to step in and help these unemployed apprentices complete their training.”

City Building was established in 2006 from the former building services department of Glasgow City Council.