National Apprenticeship Week: 10th – 16th February 2025
This year marks the 18th National Apprenticeship Week, having originally started in 2007 the annual week-long celebration brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
Together, we can promote the benefits of apprenticeships and related skills programmes, showcasing progression opportunities, exciting new occupational standards, and lots more.
We’re proud to have five apprentices in the team now and had a chat with them about their thoughts on the benefits of an apprenticeship with James Ramsay.
Daniel Robertson, fourth and final year of his service and maintenance apprentice
- The most important part of the apprenticeship route is that it provides a wide variety of jobs and tasks to widen your knowledge of the full trade
- The best part is being able to work with multiple tradesmen which allows you to gather different methods of working and obtaining knowledge. To add to this, the multiple sites we are contracted/sub-contracted to allows you to travel across the country to buildings you’d never expect to step foot in.
- I’ve learned some key skills including different fault-finding methods, client communication and the confidence to complete set tasks.
- The apprenticeship route is ideal for working and learning while getting paid, and the rate of pay for apprentices is on par compared to other industries. It also enables to you to branch into various careers when the apprenticeship is complete.
Paul Clancy, third year heating and ventilation apprentice
- Both the college and the team at work support us with anything we need.
- An apprenticeship is a great thing to do as you will be achieving a qualification to set you up for life, and you’ll never be stuck without work.
- The best part of this type of work is the variety of jobs and not just doing the same thing every week.
- Some of the most useful skills I’ve learnt include how to use power tools safely and to a high standard; how to install pipework and boilers; and how to operate various different types of equipment such as scissor lifts and cherry pickers
- I would highly recommend the apprenticeship route to anyone who is struggling to figure out what career path to follow
Euan Caddell, second year heating and ventilation apprentice
- The most important thing about apprenticeships is learning new skills and trades whether that be hands on or knowledge of the trade.
- The deciding factor of taking the apprenticeship route was seeing how it played out with others around me who took that path and also the opportunities it can lead to.
- The best parts of working for James Ramsay are being surrounded with good tradesmen and people, whether that be on site or the office staff. I also enjoy the experience of being on site, doing different jobs and working in different situations.
- The three life skills I have learned in my apprenticeship are communication, problem solving and teamwork.
- I would 100% recommend the apprenticeship route to others due to the experience and skills you gain as well as earning a nationally recognised qualification at the end of the apprenticeship.
Sam Buchanan, first year heating and ventilation apprentice
- The apprenticeship scheme provides you with a chance to learn on the job whilst you work, but also learning more in college about how things work and reasons for why things work
- The deciding factor in me choosing to leave school early and do an apprenticeship is the opportunity to have a sustainable and secure career so early in my life, giving me lots of years ahead to learn more about the job
- The best part of the apprenticeship is the wide choice of trades available, and the chance to continue extending my qualifications after I complete my apprenticeship, for example steam, gas and welding.
- During my time so far I have learned key skills in communicating, problem solving and adapting to something completely new
- I’d recommend an apprenticeship route as it is really way to learn a trade at a young age while getting out working for hands-on experience early in your career, learning many new skills along the way.
Jamie McPhee, first year heating and ventilation apprentice
- For me, the most important thing about the apprenticeship scheme is that you can leave school and start a trade young and earn good money – I believe starting a trade can set me up for life.
- Thanks to the apprenticeship route, I’m gaining good experience working on tools and learning new things every day.
- Three key skills I have learned so far are responsibility, how to structure my day and independently figuring out what I need to complete my work tasks.
- I would recommend taking the apprenticeship route so you can learn how to be in a trade and be qualified for a job for the rest of your life.
We are in the process of developing our own bespoke in-house apprenticeship scheme to address the current skills gap within our industry – more to follow on this soon.
Let’s work together to make National Apprenticeship Week 2025 the biggest and best yet!