Regional construction figure calls on North East firms to take on trainees

An appeal for contractors to take on 73 more civil engineering trainees in North East England has been made by a leading figure of the industry.

John Dickson, retiring chairman of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (North East), made the plea in his final annual report, asking each of the organisation’s 73 member firms between Berwick and Whitby to add another trainee to their workforce in expectation of workloads eventually emerging in the region at a rate nearer that already evident elsewhere in the country.

Mr Dickson said: “it’s perhaps understandable, but with considerable regret, that the number of new entrants into our sector of the construction industry continues to be low, especially since our initiatives, over recent years, have been successful in promoting our sector as a career for school leavers.

“It has never been a better time for grants in support. So even in this still difficult period for us, I am appealing for each firm to consider taking on one new trainee. Our industry’s future depends on it.”

Civils growth in the North East was recently estimated at 2% following a stagnant three years, against 10% in the South – and since the 2% has been in a poor market against 10% in a market worth billions that means the gap is actually widening, CECA (NE) director Douglas Kell has pointed out.

However Owen Pugh Group, of which Mr Dickson is chairman - employing 380 people and operating from Dudley in Northumberland, Stockton and Blaydon - has continued to recruit young people on full time permanent contracts, paying more than apprentices commonly receive. “We are training them to do what we need them to do - not what a funder wants to pay them to learn,” he explained.

His appeal came as CECA (NE) named Gareth Giles, 25, the North East’s trainee of the year. Gareth, of Gateshead, is a site engineer with Balfour Beatty, and a graduate of Newcastle University. Originally from Lewisham, London, he has now made the North East his home.

He was also named most promising trainee civil engineer. He has worked on the multi-million pound award winning Harton Quays public park on South Shields waterfront.

Also from Balfour Beatty, Caroline Williams, 29, of Waterhouses, County Durham, was named the most promising trainee quantity surveyor. Caroline, holder of two degrees – one gained part-time - had to overcome the disappointment of a previous redundancy and the difficulty of meeting course fees prior to her present job, in which she has worked on a park and ride scheme at York and projects for Northumbrian Water.

Most promising apprentice award went to Tom Thornton, 21, of Newton Aycliffe. An aspiring foreman joiner, he has worked on major projects for Sir Robert McAlpine, including Science Central mixed development at Newcastle and AkzoNobel’s new £100m paint manufacturing centre at Ashington.

Mr Dickson says: “Our industry offers a wide range of good career opportunities, not only on site work but also in information technology and other support functions.”