GLASGOW—January 28, 2008

Holyrood Labour Leader Wendy Alexander MSP and Glasgow City Council Leader Steven Purcell are to meet leading Scottish construction firm City Building’s apprentices and staff during a tour of the company’s Queenslie Training Centre today (28/01/08). Alexander and Purcell have commended the company as a role model for Scottish industry by way of providing quality training and excellent employment opportunities to young people, the disabled and many under represented sections of society.

Glasgow based construction firm City Building is a leader in the provision of skills training and is one of the UK’s largest construction companies with a workforce of over 2000 people. Trainees are taught valuable skills in order to become plumbers, joiners, bricklayers, electricians and plasterers as well as gas, heat and lift engineers.

City Building’s commitment to employment, education and social inclusion has led them to focus on initiatives such as ‘Construction For All’ - which targets hard to reach groups such as single parents, the disabled and various ethnic groupings.

Wendy Alexander comments: “I want Scottish business and our workforce to prosper and flourish. Scotland needs its workforce to be equipped for the workplace challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and we need a world class skills base so we can compete effectively internationally.”

“Improving Scotland’s skills should be a priority for government and all political parties. If our country is to be a powerhouse of prosperity and social justice we need to put skills at the heart of the political agenda. Success on the skills front will only come if politicians, employers and learners work in partnership to address Scotland’s skills challenges.”

“City Building is exactly the kind of role model for Scottish industry. By providing skills training opportunities for young people, single mothers and people with disabilities, City Building has shown the way forward. The company’s commitment to providing employment and training for people in Scotland to enter the construction industry is commendable.”

Steven Purcell comments: “As one of Glasgow’s largest construction industry employers with over 2000 staff, City Building is to be commended for providing opportunities to all sections of Scotland’s broad community. Apprentices are a vital part of Scottish industry and City Building is at the forefront through its commitment to one of the largest apprenticeship schemes in the country. City Building has reached out to many groups who are often under represented within the construction sector such as single parents, the disabled and Scotland’s broad spectrum of ethnic minorities.”

City Building Managing Director Willie Docherty comments: “I would like to thank Wendy Alexander and Steven Purcell for their recognition and endorsement of City Building’s work. City Building is proud of the diversity of its workforce and its policy of recruiting from all sectors of Scottish society and proactive approach in reaching out to what has been termed ‘hard to reach groups’. Scotland has many talented people and it is important that the construction industry reaches out to them and promotes the excellent career opportunities that are available in this sector.”

Media Enquiries
Please contact Mel Brookes, City Building’s Marketing Manager in the first instance on +44 (0)141 1287 1956, +44 (0)7734 597296 or e-mail melanie.brookes@citybuildingglasgow.co.uk

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