Scotland’s minister for employability and training Jamie Hepburn MSP heard from the future of the country’s building industry as he visited a Graham Construction project in Glasgow city centre yesterday.

Mr Hepburn met and chatted with nine young people who are working on Graham’s Bath Street student accommodation development - a £20.2 million purpose-built building of 330 single occupancy rooms.

The project is being built on the site of the former A-Listed Elgin Place Congregational Church, an iconic landmark in the city which was latterly home to popular nightclubs Cardinal Follies and The Shack before being demolished following a disastrous fire 12 years ago.

Mr Hepburn heard at first hand the positive work experiences of trainee engineers Jos Mackie, Shams Rahimi and Karen Jeffrey, trainee buyer Liam McMillan, apprentice joiner Brian Hepburn, recently qualified joiner Stephen Angus, summer placement Eimear McLaughlin - a Napier University building surveying student – and assistant quantity surveyors David McFadyen and Michael O’Neil.

Graham Construction is a member of the 5 per cent Club, made up of companies committed to ensuring at least 5 per cent of their workforce over the next five years is comprised of young people on structured learning schemes. However, Graham goes far beyond this commitment - with 12 per cent of the current workforce in these schemes.

The company has also established the Graham Academy to tackle the looming skills shortage in the industry. This is an entry level programme for young people to pursue a career in construction.

Almost 12 per cent of its West of Scotland staff are currently involved in the academy through roles such as apprenticeships, graduate schemes or trainee placements.

Over 100 young people have already enrolled in the Academy, which offers nationally-recognised qualifications alongside paid work experience and permanent employment.

Regional director Gary Holmes said: “We’re very pleased to welcome the Minister to one of our construction sites, giving him the opportunity to experience some of the work we are carrying out across the country.

“Apprentices play a vital role in our company’s overall operation, contributing immensely to current projects while bolstering the foundations of its future workforce. I’m personally committed to this and to the development of young people, having started my career at Graham as an apprentice.

“We place a huge focus on recruiting young people, giving them experience of working in the construction industry, and earning while they are learning.

“Our overall goal is to further increase the number of apprentices and young people employed by the company, building on the 12 per cent of the current workforce which are enrolled in learning schemes.”

In addition to the traditional trade apprenticeship route, Graham has developed a strong focus on technical apprenticeships which are aimed at providing young people with professional career pathways into areas such as Construction Management and Quantity Surveying.

Minister for employability and training Jamie Hepburn said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit one of Graham Construction projects in Glasgow today and hear about the positive work experiences of the young trainees. These apprenticeship programmes play a key role in ensuring young people have the opportunities they need to develop their employability skills in the construction industry.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting all of Scotland’s young people towards and into employment. We are transforming young people’s prospects and have taken early action to lead a concerted effort, jointly with Local Government, to develop Scotland’s young workforce.”