News

We’re proud to report that Maia McConnell, who joined the business as Operations Administrator back in March 2023, has successfully completed an SVQ Business and Administration, in just six months.

Maia, 21 from Glasgow, has been studying online with the City of Glasgow College since May, completing regular check-in calls with an assessor and uploading work for marking via an online portal.

She said: “James Ramsay is a thriving and fast-growing business, so my goal now is to grow with the company, learn more about everything we do, and eventually work my way up through the business to progress my career there.”

Ian Mathieson, Operations Director, said: “We’re on a mission to empower our people to deliver safety, quality, and value to solve our customers’ industrial and commercial heating and pipework problems – working together as one team.

“This latest success is a real testament to all of Maia’s hard work and perseverance, and we are all extremely proud of her well-deserved achievement.”

The Institution of Engineers in Scotland has elected, Gary Shepherd, managing director at James Ramsay, as an honorary fellow – the highest accolade that the Institution can present.

He said: “I’m both delighted and honoured to have received this news from the IES. I look forward to contributing to the institution as our industry moves forward in developing and implementing the exciting new technologies that will shape the future of engineering and innovation in our country.”

IES is a multi-disciplinary engineering body, founded in Scotland in 1857, that provides a forum in which individuals from all engineering and related disciplines can discuss and exchange information, generate ideas and encourage young engineers. IES works with kindred bodies to promote a wider understanding of the role of the professional engineer in society.

Find out more here.

We’re proud to announce that we’ve successfully retained the Constructionline Gold standard membership for yet another year including Acclaim accreditation for health and safety.

Constructionline collects, verifies and monitors standard company information through a process aligned with PAS 91. The gold standard membership ensures suppliers to the public and private construction sector go above and beyond by undergoing enhanced validation checks including environmental management, quality management, equal opportunities and diversity, Modern Slavery Act adherence, and anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies.

Ian Mathieson, Operations Director at James Ramsay, said: “Constructionline supports industry to build value from the beginning to end in the supply chain and procurement cycle, making it easy for customers to optimise performance, minimise risk and realise opportunities.

“Securing the gold membership for yet another year reinforces our ability to stand up to increased scrutiny around governance and risk management, and enhanced validation checks to ensure we meet and exceed supplier requirements in the construction industry supply chain, demonstrating our professionalism across a number of key areas.”

Developed in partnership with Build UK, the Common Assessment Standard goes one step further than PAS 91. A standardised set of questions crafted from existing systems as well as input from clients, suppliers and trade associations, the Common Assessment Standard helps businesses save time and money during the prequalification process – and lets buyers know, with confidence, that suppliers can satisfy all their requirements.

About Constructionline

Originally created as a government department, Constructionline has been connecting buyers and suppliers for more than 20 years. The organisation has a deep understanding of buyers’ needs and takes pride in opening up opportunities for members to access a wide range of procurement contracts and projects – and for buyers to access a validated pool of high-quality suppliers.

Compliance is at the heart of Constructionline’s purpose. Whether it’s getting to grips with new standards and requirements or updating systems to enable buyers to search on a wider range of criteria, its longstanding experts keep ahead of changing regulations.

Tens of thousands of buyers rely on the Constructionline platform to identify construction suppliers, and in using the service, buyers can expect to simplify and speed up their search, validation and purchasing decision processes considerably, improving resource and cost efficiency.

Find out more at www.constructionline.co.uk

We’ve been appointed by NHS Lanarkshire to deliver the contract for servicing and maintenance of its gas and oil boilers, associated plant and pipework.

The contract awarded to James Ramsay, through a competitive tender process, involves a range of services including pre-planned servicing, 24/7 callout cover and emergency response for boiler appliances across the estate.

Jamie Shepherd, service director at James Ramsay said: “Our portfolio of NHS clients continues to grow and that is a testament to our ability to deliver a solid, reliable service to the health sector. Our team’s in-depth knowledge and experience of technology and equipment in use across these facilities means we are in a strong position to support estates managers minimise disruption and ensure systems are maintained and performing efficiently.”

NHS Lanarkshire is the third largest health board in Scotland. It serves a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in Lanarkshire and employs around 12,000 staff working in communities, health centres, clinics and offices and at three district general hospitals – University Hospital Hairmyres, University Hospital Monklands and University Hospital Wishaw.

We’re joining people across the UK today and participating in Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. The money raised will help the many people living with cancer to live life as fully as they can.

Just £71 could help run a Macmillan online community forum for more than three hours – giving nearly 198 people affected by cancer both emotional and practical support.

£1202 could pay for a Macmillan nurse for a week, helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional support.

The team has been busy baking all week and our coffee morning is in full swing this morning! 

If you can, please help us smash our target and donate through our fundraising page:

https://coffeefundraising.macmillan.org.uk/fundraising/cm23040759

We’ve appointed Euan Caddell (16) from Parkhouse, Glasgow, as an apprentice while he completes an SVQ level 3 in Heating and Ventilation Installation at Kelvin College, Springburn.

The four-year apprenticeship involves two years of training to be a pipefitter and heating engineer and two years of welding. The course includes underpinning knowledge, practical skills and experience for learners, with an emphasis on progression to full-time employment.

Gary Shepherd, managing director at James Ramsay, said: “I met Euan and his family at a careers event at his school and he immediately stood out with his attitude and ambition – I knew that night I would offer him an apprenticeship and to date he has continued to impress in our workshop gaining experience despite his course not officially starting until the end of August.”

James Ramsay currently employs four apprentices and has a longstanding history of successfully training and recruiting young graduates.

Euan is reporting into Ian Mathieson, operations director at James Ramsay. He said: “Apprenticeships are an essential part of any national skills strategy and must be considered a key driver to address skills shortages, increase productivity and develop the skilled workforce of the future.

“We’re committed to helping every learner achieve their full potential here at James Ramsay and are delighted to welcome Euan to the team as this year’s new apprentice.”

Former apprentices, still with the business today include Gary Shepherd, managing director; Marc Millar, project manager; John Milligan, foreman; heating engineers Ross Mowat, Malky Aitken, Stevie McNeil, Colin Bright, Stuart McBeth; and Kyle Munro, service engineer. And right now, Ramsay also employees three progressing apprentices: Thomas Quinn, fourth-year heating and ventilation; Paul Clancy, second-year heating and ventilation; and Daniel Robertson, second-year service and maintenance.

We have a real focus on continuous, professional development, and in addition to the apprenticeships, also runs in-house development programmes to ensure all employees have a clear, progressive career path – continually improving skills and knowledge learned from other more experienced members of the team and through structured training programmes.

Combining academic study with on-the-job training, apprenticeships are a great work-based qualification route available across a wide range of industries, enabling individuals to gain industry specific skills, work experience, a nationally recognised qualification, and at the same time, a paid role.