More than 700 hopeful and enthusiastic youngsters have signed up for one of the most challenging learning programmes in today’s competitive employment environment. The Scottish Joint Industry Training Board (SJIB) Apprenticeship and Adult Training Programme is managed by the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) and brings major benefits to SELECT’s members.

Bringing on a pipeline of highly-skilled professionals is also in tune with SELECT’s long-running campaign for professional recognition, which is asking for protection of title for electricians in the interests of public safety.

Gaining qualification as an electrician has been compared to completing a university degree and the number of apprentices in the new intake indicates that the SELECT membership remains optimistic about the state of the marketplace despite continuing wider uncertainty. The total is up by more than a hundred on just four years ago.

The health of the apprenticeship schemes for electricians was welcomed by business, fair work and skills minister, Jamie Hepburn, who said: “It is great news that so many of our young people are being given the opportunity of undertaking a Modern Apprenticeship in the electrotechnical sector and are receiving such high quality training whilst beginning their careers in this important sector.

“I also welcome SELECT’s efforts ensuring that the industry has such a strong stream of skilled people coming through. I am in no doubt that the electrotechnical sector in Scotland is crucial to delivering the modern and connected economy which we want and require in Scotland.”

The apprenticeship courses provide places for adult apprentices as well as school leavers and younger people. The numbers tend to reflect prospects for improvement and sustainable work-flows within the construction sector.

Anne Galbraith, chief executive of SECTT, said: “SELECT members are effectively showing their faith in the future of the industry by investing so heavily in training and learning programmes with us.

“We need professionally-minded people who are dedicated to the highest possible standards in the electrotechnical sector and I am sure that this healthy new intake will step up to plate and further enlarge our skills pool.”

Fiona Harper, secretary of the SJIB, said “The training scheme is the only industry approved training scheme for electrical contracting apprenticeships in Scotland. This scheme is designed to regulate the entry, conditions of service, training and education of apprentices in the electrical contracting Industry.