New Apprentice Opportunities with Highland Council
The Highland Council is pleased to announce the recruitment of
six new building maintenance apprenticeship positions in four different areas
of Highland.
The apprenticeships available will be based in Dornoch, Alness, Inverness and
Fort William and will cover painting, plumbing and joinery. In Inverness there
will be one electrician apprenticeship offered; two will be offered in Fort
William, one in Plumbing and one in Painting; in Dornoch one Plumber and one Joiner
will be sought; and in Alness one apprenticeship in Joinery will be
offered. Applications can be made
between the 1st and 15th of May through the myjobscotland
website.
Typically, each year six new apprentices are taken on by the
Council so that in total there are twenty four apprentices, all in different
stages of their training, working across Highland each year.
Former Highland Council apprentice, and current Highland Council plumber,
Michael Gordon from Ardross by Alness spoke of his experience in the Council’s
apprenticeship scheme, saying:
“Having attended school in Alness, I applied for a Plumbing apprenticeship with
Highland Council in 2009. Over the next three years, my time was spent between
Inverness college and working with various Highland Council plumbers at our
Alness Depot. After successfully completing my plumbing examinations at
college, my fourth year was spent working alongside colleagues at the depot and
carrying out small jobs alone to help build both my experience and confidence.
“At the end of my apprenticeship I applied for, and was
successful in gaining, a full-time plumbing position within the Highland
Council Building Maintenance depot in Alness.” He added: “Over the last two
years I have worked on a variety of jobs, from fitting a simple tap washer to
fitting new bathrooms and heating systems. I find it satisfying that my job
involves helping people, and I enjoy the feeling of giving something back to
the local community.”
Director of Community Services, William Gilfillan, said: “I would encourage
anyone who is considering beginning their career in building maintenance to
apply for one of our apprenticeship scheme opportunities. The scheme not only
gives our apprentices a formal qualification and skills for life, but also
offers very good employment prospects at the end of the training period. The
majority of our trainees are retained by the Council, while others secure
employment with local companies.”
The Council’s Performance and Building Maintenance Manager
Caroline Campbell added: “With the advancement of renewable energy the
apprentices we take on are getting the chance to learn about working with these
new technologies as well as gaining expertise on the more traditional skills
associated with the trades.”
The starting salary for an apprentice is £15,103 and this increases annually.
Application forms and full details of the posts offered can be found on the
Myjobscotland website (www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council)
from the 1st to the 15th of May.