Duchy Homes contributes to new joinery apprentice in Yorkshire

July 3, 2017 / Keith Osborne
Duchy Homes contributes to new joinery apprentice in Yorkshire

Duchy Homes is working with a local subcontractor and contributing 50% towards the cost of employing a new apprentice to Doncaster-based CPR Joinery – with hopes that the arrangement will help the contractor take on an additional new apprentice at a later date.

The subcontractor works on all the housebuilder’s developments, many of which have won NHBC Pride in the Job accolades in recent years, and its latest apprenticeship recruit is Josh Layhe, a local 17-year-old who has joined a two-year scheme from McAuley School and currently works on sites in Scawthorpe and Penistone four days every week, with the fifth day spent on an apprenticeship joinery course at Doncaster College.

Josh says: “I am really enjoying my apprenticeship and am thankful for the opportunity given to me by CPR Joinery and Duchy Homes. By doing an apprenticeship I feel that I have the best of both worlds – I am gaining plenty of hands on experience whilst also being able to attend college. I really hope that by the end of my apprenticeship I will be able to secure a full time job with Carl and work on more Duchy Homes developments.”

Jim Cropper, group managing director at Duchy Homes, remarks: “It’s no secret that the British housebuilding industry needs to increase its labour force and the supply of skilled workers available.  Apprenticeships are an important way for the industry to train and develop its labour pool and I feel that it is important that we play our part in supporting the development of future talent. Josh is going a great job for the team at CPR Joinery and we are looking forward to continuing to support his progression over the next two years and to encourage Carl to take on another apprentice – again with matched funding from Duchy Homes.”

Carl Rylatt, managing director of CPR Joinery, says: “When Duchy Homes offered to share the cost of taking on an apprentice this proved to be the catalyst to making my decision to employ Josh. He is a great worker and shows all of the skills, understanding and enthusiasm that we have been looking for from an apprentice. He is the first apprentice that I have taken on but due to the success we are having with him I am hoping to take on another trainee later this year.

“Apprentices are a great support to my workforce and I am only too aware of how important it is to encourage and train the next generation of joiners, ensuring that they have the necessary skills and experience to carry out their jobs.  In this industry hands on work experience is essential and an apprenticeship is a great opportunity for a younger person to learn and secure permanent employment at the end.”

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