A Westcountry homebuilder has welcomed its highest number of apprentices to date as part of the firm’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent in the construction industry.

“Apprentices are the future of the industry and we believe we should be doing everything we can to encourage young people to consider job-based training as a sound start to their careers,” commented Cavanna Homes’ Managing Director, Keith Miller. “We’re major supporters of apprentices and help subcontractors by funding apprentices so they can pass on their knowledge, which in turn helps us to be confident that the skills we’ll need in the future for housebuilding will be available locally.”

Ten apprentices aged between 16 and 23 years of age have joined Cavanna Homes as paid full-time apprentices, the largest intake in the homebuilder’s 95-year history. Aaron Jones, Jesse Acutt, Matt Churchill, Max Dorothy, Jack Walker, Sam Perkins, Joe Darlow, Cameron Quinn, Lewis Duce and Owen Musk are based at Cavanna Homes’ head office in Torquay gaining experience both on-site and in the office.

The apprentices will be completing qualifications in a range of specialist sectors including; carpentry, land, technical, commercial, build, electrical, painting and decorating, and plastering.

“I am forever grateful to Cavanna Homes for providing me with such an amazing opportunity. They support me day in and day out, which has fuelled my drive even more. I’m surrounded by considerate colleagues who I now call friends and I can honestly say that there is no looking back, only looking forward. My one regret is not signing up to an apprenticeship scheme sooner – it’s the best decision I have ever made and I’m truly lucky,” said Sam Perkins, Land Apprentice at Cavanna Homes.

The apprenticeships will be completed over four years which, depending on the scheme, will combine on-site work experience with skilled sub-contractors and attendance at college to gain an NVQ.

“We’re increasing the number of apprentices that we support year on year, and we hope to see this number continue to grow in 2019. We strongly believe that providing open career paths within the construction industry will encourage young adults to explore the opportunities available to them,” Keith added.

As a regional recruiter, Cavanna Homes takes pride in nurturing and investing in its apprentices to ensure they receive the best skills and experience in their trades to pass onto the next generation, and integral part of Cavanna Homes’ ethos.