Pictured: Apprentice Sekani Gordon (centre) with (left to right) Kam Chumber from Sandwell Council, Ian Woodland from Jephson and Andy Maxwell from Interclass

A trainee carpenter from Birmingham has taken his first step on the employment ladder thanks to a renovation project led by Jephson Homes Housing Association.

Sekani Gordon, from Aston, has landed his first full-time job - with Jephson contractor Interclass - after gaining valuable experience with the company when working on a project which restored Victorian houses in Smethwick to their former glory.

It involved renovating three properties - in Wellington Road, Bearwood Road and Waterloo Road - which had been converted into flats in the 1980s. They have now been transformed back into houses to meet the growing need for larger family homes in Sandwell.

Sekani was one of a group of trainees, recruited through Sandwell Council's "Think Local" training scheme, to help with carpentry and plastering work involved in the project.

Senior workers for Interclass were so impressed with Sekani's work and attitude that they have now taken him on as a full-time apprentice.

The 22-year-old was studying construction skills at Sandwell College and has now gained an NVQ Level 2 in carpentry.

Sekani said: "I enjoyed working on the project and it was a fantastic opportunity for me. I am thrilled they've taken me on full-time - the work is really varied and I am learning a lot."

Recent work that Sekani has been involved with has included refurbishment at St Edmund's School in Selly Park and boarding a mezzanine floor at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in the city centre.

Ken Haden, Contracts Manager for Interclass, said: "On the Smethwick project, Sekani was assisting our senior carpenters who were very impressed with how he was performing, his punctuality and his attitude.

"He is doing well and we look forward to seeing him progress and work his way up to becoming one of our senior carpenters."

Karen Brown, Development Officer for Jephson's Midlands region, said: "We welcome the opportunity to work with our partners to nurture new talent and are delighted to have played a part in helping Sekani take his first step on the employment ladder. We wish him well in his future career."

Kam Chumber, Employment Broker at Sandwell Council, said: "Sekani made a great effort in following his passion to become a qualified carpenter, especially as he had to juggle a part-time job in fast food with on-site work and studying.

"I am very pleased to see how well he has done with the support of 'Think Local'. He is an excellent role model for future budding carpenters."

The Smethwick renovation project, supported by a £143,000 grant from Urban Living, involved close partnership working between Jephson, Sandwell Council and Interclass.

Jephson undertook the scheme in response to the growing need for larger, family housing in the area.

It involved turning a block of three flats in Wellington Road back into a five-bedroom house, and flats in Bearwood Road and Waterloo Road were converted back into two three-bedroom houses.

Work included stripping out the buildings, knocking down walls and re-siting staircases, while maintaining much of their external architectural features to reflect the character of the area.