L-R: Ken Parkin - Turney Wylde, Chris Pearce - Apprentice, Lewis Martin - Apprentice, Adam Jones- Apprentice, Simon Rycroft - Isos Housing, Ryan Pargeter - Apprentice, Geoff Scott - South Tyneside Council
Four young apprentices are getting a foot on the ladder at a major construction project in South Tyneside – with permanent positions available to two of them.
Holborn House is a historic building on the riverside in South Shields, which is being converted into flats by construction company and National Federation of Builders (NFB) member Turney Wylde on behalf of social landlord Isos Housing.
Turney Wylde has taken on the four apprentice joiners for one month, after changes at their previous employer South Tyneside Council meant there was no longer any work for them. The Wallsend-based company only needed to find two apprentices to work on the £1.8m Holborn House conversion – but decided to offer valuable experience to all four of the young workers 2put forward by South Tyneside Council after being impressed by all of them in interviews.
The apprentices are currently working towards NVQ Level 2 and Level 2 Diploma, and the two who are given contracts by Turney Wylde will continue their training to NVQ Level 3, to become Advanced Apprentices.
A decision over who will be taken on will be made in January, when the chosen two will start work in earnest on the Holborn House site.
Ken Parkin, managing director of Turney Wylde, said: “We are pleased to be able to offer opportunities to these apprentices, who are at an important stage in their training. The on-site experience they will gain, working alongside an excellent team, will undoubtedly help them in their careers.
"While we only have full-time roles for two apprentices, we were so impressed by all four, we wanted to help them to learn their trade and stand them in the best possible stead for the future."
Simon Rycroft, who is overseeing the Holborn House project for Isos, said: "As an organisation, we have a commitment to develop communities, not just homes, so we are really pleased that our Holborn House project is helping these four young apprentices to get their careers moving."
Geoff Scott, apprenticeships and skills co-ordinator with South Tyneside Council, said it is good news for the four apprentices, who were initially taken on in June 2010 through an Area Based Grant on the Supported Apprenticeship Programme, and had their Intermediate Apprenticeship training funded by the Council’s Adult and Community Learning department.
He said: "Through us working in partnership with Turney Wylde, they were able to offer work placements for the four joiners. I am delighted at the news that Turney Wylde will now be employing two of the apprentices as Advanced Apprentices, which will enable them to become fully qualified joiners.
"This is fantastic for the two lads and a prime example of effective partnership working in the development and regeneration of the borough."
Isos and Turney Wylde are working with architects JDDK (Jane Darbyshire & David Kendall), quantity surveyors Elliotts and engineers 3E on the Holborn House project.
