A HOUSEBUILDER based in Daresbury has launched a recruitment drive.

As National Apprenticeship Week approached, Redrow is looking for new trainees.

Redrow is based in Daresbury but has north west sites across Cheshire, Merseyside and Manchester.

This year, the division will recruit four trade apprentices and several more in office-based roles.

Recent research by Redrow has found that just under half (43 per cent) of 16-24 year olds in the north west believe that apprentices are more likely than graduates to gain qualifications and learn skills that are relevant to their career path.

There’s also been a leap in the number of young women nationally who are considering a career in construction. Redrow’s eighth apprenticeship report found over three in five (66 per cent) young women currently work in, have considered working in or are open to working in construction, rising from 49 per cent in 2023.

One former Redrow trainee, Caroline Thomson-Jones, joined Redrow north west in 1987, aged 17, under the then Government funded Youth Trainee Scheme (YTS).

Since then she has progressed through the ranks from sales assistant, sales admin and sales co-ordinator, through to her current role as area sales manager.

Caroline said: “I came for my interview on the Friday and started on the Monday morning.

“Starting as a teenager on the YTS, which is similar to some of the office-based apprenticeships Redrow offers today, was a solid grounding for my career.

“It taught me the value of a strong work ethic and I was fortunate to have some instrumental role models I was able to learn from at a young age.”

Open to anyone over the age of 16, Redrow offers a range of apprenticeships covering administration and technical roles as well as key housing trades, including bricklaying and groundworks. 

A part of Redrow’s trade apprenticeships, the apprentices time is split between working on site and college-based study. All are employed by Redrow but supervised and mentored by established sub-contractors who teach them their trade.

In the North West, apprentices come under the overall supervision of Jim McDonald, senior project manager, who is involved from the initial process.

“Anyone in the North West and North Wales area can apply via our website, we will be opening up applications in March with apprentices starting on site in June. We have four openings this time, with two places in joinery and two in bricklaying.”

Jim, who began his career with Redrow in 1994 as an assistant site manager, feels apprenticeships are very important, so much so that his role overseeing the new recruits is something he does as an extra to his day-to-day job.

“My colleague Sammy Vranch and I look after the apprentices on a voluntary basis, as we both feel very passionately about the scheme.”

For further information about becoming an apprentice with Redrow and other career opportunities visit: www.redrowcareers.co.uk