Twenty young people have started a trade apprenticeship programme with one of Scotland’s top construction groups.

Glasgow-based CCG (Scotland) Ltd will offer each of the new recruits an industry-recognised four-year training programme which will cover both practical and theoretical skills to fully equip them for a career in construction.

After the graduation of fourth year apprentices and 2018 intake, the total number of apprentices across CCG’s group of five companies is 70, representing more than 10 per cent of the company’s workforce.

Each apprentice will focus on a specific trade and will receive one-to-one support from a fully qualified mentor throughout their programme.

This year, the new trade apprentices will take on plumbing, bricklaying, joinery, heating engineering and electrical engineering and have come from different areas including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Paisley, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire.

Alastair Wylie, chairman and chief executive of CCG, said the firm "has been fortunate to secure a steady workstream from our current client base and irrespective of the level of economic uncertainty due to the UK’s Brexit negotiations, CCG has continued to commit to our apprenticeship scheme promoting future skills replenishment within our industry".

The Herald:

Apprentice Bradley Wilkie, 17, from Darnley, above, found out about CCG’s apprenticeship programme while undertaking a WorkingRite placement at one of CCG’s housing projects in Nitshill.

Mr Wilkie said that WorkingRite gave him experience of working on a construction site and the CCG programme "will give me the skills I need to have a trade for life”.

In addition to the construction apprenticeship programme, CCG offers modern apprenticeship opportunities and trainee programmes for internal progression and to the external market.

CCG said it annually commits to employing a minimum of 25 people through these programmes which will see them gain skills in administration, estimating, buying, surveying, trainee site management, design or health and safety.