Pictured: The 2011 apprentice intake (back l-r) Luke Jeffries, Oliver Bradshaw, Sam Johnson, Connor Wickwar, Sam Rollins, George Rowbotham and Luke Taylor with (front l-r) Dean Riddle, Bill Eccles, Pete Weston (both William Davis apprentice masters) and Thomas Jordan

As part of its long term commitment to the construction industry and ongoing support to the local labour market, Loughborough-based contractor and developer William Davis Ltd has appointed nine youngsters from across Leicestershire to join its coveted apprenticeship scheme.

The appointment of the apprentices will be the 65th annual intake in the company's history and will provide a three or four year intensive training programme enabling the teenagers to become fully qualified bricklayers, carpenters & joiners, plumbers, electricians and plant mechanics, once their training is complete. 

Mentored by the company's own apprentice masters, the nine young men will benefit from vocational training which is supplemented via day release courses at Stephenson College, Loughborough College and at the company's own, dedicated in-house training centre on the outskirts of Loughborough.

This year's new apprentices: Luke Jeffries (plant fitter), Sam Johnson, Luke Taylor (both plumbers), Dean Riddle, Oliver Bradshaw (both bricklayers), Sam Rollins, Connor Wickwar (both carpenter/joiners), Thomas Jordan and George Rowbotham (both electricians) are eager to learn the ropes and enthusiastically await their new construction careers.

William Davis' personnel and training manager Brian Bradford said: "We are extremely proud of the fact that these youngsters will be our 65th apprentice intake. As a company we pride ourselves on the quality of our work and are acutely aware that these young people will, at the end of their training, be representing not only William Davis but the construction industry as a whole.

"With some of our past apprentices recognised as amongst the best in their trade in the country, we are hopeful that amongst these aspiring youngsters will be the next generation of master craftsmen."

Since the scheme's inception in 1946, William Davis has employed almost 1000 apprentices, with many remaining with the company for their entire careers and encouraging their own children to join the ranks.