Morgan Lindsay, who attended Dalziel High School, started training this week to become an assistant site manager with the housebuilder.

The 18-year-old started the programme when she was in sixth year at school, completing half a day’s placement a week with the company, visiting sites and spending time in its divisional office in Hamilton.

Morgan has now started the full-time four-year trainee manager programme, which will include a mix of practical work on-site and study for a Construction Management HNC at City of Glasgow College.

She will be trained in a wide variety of disciplines including project management, scaffold appreciation, first aid at work and customer services and will be given practical training working across the housebuilders’ sites in the West of Scotland.

Morgan, a former county badminton champion, said: “I am so excited to start working with Bellway, I have always been interested in the construction industry as my mum and dad built two homes themselves when I was growing up so when this opportunity came up I jumped at it. I actually live in a Bellway home, so I knew that they were a good company.

“It was great to know that I would be going straight into a job when I left school, it took a lot of the stress and uncertainty out of my final year. A lot of my friends and teachers were surprised I wasn’t going to university as that seems to be the norm now, but when I explained that I would be working towards qualifications while I was earning money, they were happy for me.

“I know lots of people are worried about taking out student loans and paying for accommodation at university and it is great to be starting my working life without any debt.”

Andy Borland, head of construction Bellway Homes Ltd (Scotland West), said that many people are still not fully aware of the huge range of opportunities open to young people in the construction industry.

He added: “We have taken on school leavers for trainee manager’s positions before but this time we wanted to reach out to the schools and talk to the best candidates before they even entered the jobs market or higher education. Taking part in the pre-year mentoring programme meant Morgan was able to appreciate what the management programme involves and be confident that it was the right career path for her. 

“I’m really passionate about bringing young people into the business and showing them what a wonderful career you can have with companies like Bellway. Dalziel High School have been terrific but so many schools just don’t promote construction as a career choice.

“Equally worrying is the fact that are still too few women coming into the industry, although times are definitely changing and most of the candidates who applied for this opportunity were females. 

Fraser Conn, regional director, Bellway Homes Ltd, Scotland (West), added: “Morgan is a very impressive individual with lots of drive and enthusiasm and I am sure she will be a terrific asset to the business. There are so many opportunities for her, the sky really is the limit.”