by Ewan Fergus, Evening Times
Fifteen young people have started on the road to career success
helping to build Glasgow's M74 extension link.
Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson formally welcomed
the youngsters, who are mainly from Glasgow and South Lanarkshire,
on the M74 Modern Apprenticeship scheme.
They started work experience on the project last year through
the M74 Employability Partnership. Now they will have the
opportunity to make the most of this experience as they start out
on the Interlink M74 JV-led Modern Apprenticeship scheme, which
allows them to become time-served' apprentices within two
years.
The new five-miles stretch of road will continue the M74 from
the Fullarton Road junction, near Carmyle, to the M8 west of the
Kingston Bridge.
It is hoped the new road will open in 2011, at a cost of
£445million.
Mr Stevenson said: "The M74 completion project is playing a
vital role in providing employment for the construction industry in
a period of economic difficulty, around 900 jobs at the project's
peak.
"Supporting and developing young people is a key part of this
and I am delighted with the ways in which Interlink has developed
training opportunities for them and ensured their training will
continue beyond the M74 completion project.
"These apprenticeships will provide the candidates with a strong
starting point for their careers and the valuable experience and
transferable skills they will gain will stand them in excellent
stead for the future.
"Transport Scotland's work alone supports more than 25% of the
civil engineering contracting sector's workload throughout the
country."
"Access to skilled employees is key to the success of our major
infrastructure projects and investing in our people through
programmes such as the Modern Apprenticeships is essential, not
only to meet current needs, but to ensure continuing sustainable
economic growth for Scotland."
The scheme, which has been developed by contractor Interlink M74
JV in conjunction with Construction Skills, will offer employment
opportunities for all 15 involved.
Councillor George Ryan Glasgow City Council's executive member
for business and the economy, said: "I am proud of the role we
played - along with Interlink, the Glasgow East Regeneration Agency
and our local government partners - in establishing the M74
Employability Partnership.
"The project has given these young people the skills and
opportunity to secure apprenticeships on the biggest engineering
project in the country and support from Interlink in forging long
and successful careers in a great industry."
David Welsh, Interlink M74 Joint Venture Project Director,
added: "This is a fantastic day for the civil engineering industry
because employers have been working for a number of years to put
these apprenticeships in place. All candidates will be registered
with Scottish Building Apprenticeship Council.
"Interlink is delighted to show faith in the future of the
industry and the young people of Glasgow and surrounding
areas."
The apprentices will be the first on the scheme to cover key
construction roles such as formwork (the temporary or permanent
structures into which concrete or similar materials are poured),
steelfixing, plant operation and general construction.
They will serve their time with one of the four joint venture
partners and remain there to complete their apprenticeship after
the extension is open.
The extension project is a part of the Scottish Government's
current £2.5billion programme being spent on transport
infrastructure over the next three years.
Transport Scotland says completing the M74 to the M8 will
provide significant benefits to Scotland and the country's
businesses by offering a quicker, safer and more efficient route to
get their goods to market.
For more information on the project see the website: www.m74completion.com
To find out more on Modern Apprenticeships see: www.cskills.org
Reproduced with the permission of The Herald and Times
Group.