Robertson Group has been recognised for its commitment to youth employment and development in Dundee.

Local employability group Helm Training awarded Robertson Tayside with the ‘Friends of Helm’ status to acknowledge the success of its Young People Strategy in providing opportunities for young people to upskill and enter the workplace.

Five candidates from Helm Training undertook successful six-week work placements, with all going on to secure employment with Robertson, its contractors and suppliers.

Mark Blyth, commercial director of Robertson Tayside and the Group’s Young People Champion for the region, said: “As an organisation, we proudly bear the mark of excellence from Investors in Young People and understand the key part we play in attracting and developing future talent for the construction industry.

“Working with Helm allowed us to not only welcome enthusiastic young people to the workplace, but also offer them a sustainable career path. Innovative collaborations such as this helps us to recruit and develop the right people to help us address the industry skills gap.”

Helen Sykes, chief executive of Helm, said: “Offering young people work experience to give them a fair chance to show what they are capable of is exactly the break that they need, and many of Helm’s students have also been offered jobs and apprenticeships as a result.

“Robertson is a terrific ambassador for the construction sector and the work of their team in Dundee is a shining example of an employer doing everything they can to help young people on in the world.”

Jack Scott, a Helm candidate who has now secured an apprenticeship with Robertson groundwork contractor Dundee Plant, added: “Throughout my placement I really enjoyed being introduced to all the different trades and learning new skills such as mono-blocking – which I also got to teach to local school children visiting the site.

“Helm, Robertson and Dundee Plant have definitely helped me achieve my career goals.”

The work with Helm forms part of Robertson Tayside’s contribution to the Group’s wider Young People Strategy, with the region currently employing 11 young people and offering 73 work experience and placement opportunities in 2017.