Recent research by us has found that just under half (43%) of 16-24 year olds in the North West believe that apprentices are more likely than graduates to gain qualifications and learn skills that are relevant to their career path.
There’s also been a leap in the number of young women nationally who are considering a career in construction. Our eighth apprenticeship report found over three in five (66%) young women currently work in, have considered working in or are open to working in construction, rising from 49% in 2023.
Based in Daresbury, near Warrington, our North West division has sites across Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
This year, the division will recruit four trade apprentices and several more in office-based roles.
One former trainee, Caroline Thomson-Jones, joined us in 1987, aged 17, under the then Government funded Youth Trainee Scheme (YTS).
Since then she has progressed through the ranks from sales assistant, sales admin and sales co-ordinator, through to her current role as area sales manager.
Caroline, who lives in Mynydd Isa, Flintshire, recalled her fast start within the industry: “I came for my interview on the Friday and started on the Monday morning,” she said. “Starting as a teenager on the YTS, which is similar to some of the office-based apprenticeships Redrow offers today, was a solid grounding for my career. It taught me the value of a strong work ethic and I was fortunate to have some instrumental role models I was able to learn from at a young age.”
Today we are continuing our pledge to inspire the next generation into the construction industry in the North West. Open to anyone over the age of 16, we offer a range of apprenticeships covering administration and technical roles as well as key housing trades, including bricklaying and groundworks.
Caroline added: “My experience as a trainee has given me the skills to mentor others over the course of my career. Although I like to think I can still learn as much from the younger generation as they can from me. Having young people come up through the business certainly means we can all keep learning, especially when it comes to advances with technology and social media, having that diversity of age groups in the workforce is important.”
As part of our trade apprenticeships, the apprentices time is split between working on site and college-based study. All are employed by us but supervised and mentored by established sub-contractors who teach them their trade.
In the North West, apprentices come under the overall supervision of Jim McDonald, senior project manager, who is involved from the initial process.
“Anyone in the North West and North Wales area can apply via our website, we will be opening up applications in March with apprentices starting on site in June. We have four openings this time, with two places in joinery and two in bricklaying.”
Jim, who began his career with us in 1994 as an assistant site manager, feels apprenticeships are very important, so much so that his role overseeing the new recruits is something he does as an extra to his day-to-day job.
“My colleague Sammy Vranch and I look after the apprentices on a voluntary basis, as we both feel very passionately about the scheme.”
For further information about becoming an apprentice with Redrow and other career opportunities visit our website.
