Mark Griffin MSP marked Scottish Apprenticeship Week by visiting Persimmon’s Royale Meadows development in Muirhead to meet with local apprentices learning the tricks of the trade on the tools.

Mr Griffin was met on site by local apprentices from Moodiesburn and surrounding areas to hear about how they are building the skills and experience they need to succeed in the industry.

Persimmon is one of Scotland’s largest employers of bricklaying apprentices – with the homebuilder’s apprenticeship programme including both young people and adults who are upskilling.

The current crop of apprentices is undertaking a mixture of bricklaying, joinery and roofing as well as painting and decorating Modern Apprenticeship frameworks. The five-star builder reached a record number of 45 apprentices in Scotland last year, including four female apprentices.

During the visit, Mr Griffin also met with Persimmon West Scotland managing director Chris Logan to talk about the vital role that apprentices play within the business, as well as the wider opportunities and challenges facing the industry.

Mark Griffin MSP, Scottish Labour spokesperson for local government and housing, said: “It was great to visit the Royale Meadows development in Muirhead and see first-hand the skills and experience apprentices are gaining on site. I was particularly impressed with the emphasis on ensuring local people benefit from the opportunities the development brings.

“The work Persimmon is doing to support the next generation of construction professionals through their apprenticeship programme is excellent. A well-trained workforce is essential to addressing the housing crisis and delivering the new homes that the people of Scotland need.”

Dylan Gardner, a second-year apprentice bricklayer, added: “It was great to have Mark out on site to talk about apprenticeships and how important they are. “I have loved being able to earn money while learning a trade and I would encourage more young people to look at opportunities to get involved in the industry.”

Chris Logan, managing director of Persimmon West Scotland, commented: “Apprentices are a vital part of our future workforce and it was great to welcome Mark to our Royale Meadows development and introduce him to some of our fantastic apprentices.

“Persimmon has made real progress with our apprenticeship programme in recent years – not only increasing the number of our apprentices but also improving our diversity – and we’ll continue to create exciting opportunities for local people in the areas where we are building much-needed new homes.”