Six young people have been given the opportunity to help develop a specialist housing scheme for over 55s in Mansfield, thanks to housing and regeneration specialist Keepmoat and Mansfield District Council.

The local lads – five apprentices and a Trainee Site Manager – are based on the Extra Care housing site at Poppy Fields (formerly Brownlow Road), which Keepmoat is developing on behalf of Mansfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

Two of the apprentices, Jamie Fudge and Callum Clarke, will be bricklaying. Josh Jacklin will be working in joinery, and Christian Allen and Thomas Seagrave will be working as General Construction Operatives, undertaking a range of jobs on site.

The apprentices will study Level 2 in their respective fields at West Notts College.

Josh said: “I’m originally from Devon but moved to Mansfield five months ago with my family. I started working on the Poppy Fields site four weeks ago, and so far I am really enjoying my time on site.

“Day to day I shadow experienced joiners and generally try to help out. The site team welcomed me in and I have settled in very quick.”

Also starting on site is Trainee Site Manager, Samuel Bispham. Sam will study Level 3 in Construction and the Built Environment at West Notts College one day a week.

Sam said: “I applied for the role of Trainee Site Manager at Keepmoat when I saw the advertisement at the college. I am ambitious and want to climb the career ladder in construction and saw this as the perfect opportunity, having previously studied at college and gained experience as a self-employed joiner.

“I have just completed my first month at Keepmoat and have enjoyed the site environment very much. I have learned new things, met new people and gained more responsibilities as I continue to develop.”

Keepmoat worked with Futureworks (Yorkshire) who run the award winning YORfuture shared apprenticeship scheme, in partnership with CITB, to recruit the apprentices.

Monday 9th to Friday 13th March is National Apprenticeship Week, which aims to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Fiona Ratcliffe, Regional Employment and Skills Coordinator at Keepmoat, said: “Apprentices are an integral part of Keepmoat’s workforce. We are always looking to work with partners to create opportunities for local people, so it’s great to have these apprentices and trainees starting on site. The lads are very eager to learn and are enthusiastic about gaining the relevant skills to give them a life-long career in construction.”

Mayor of Mansfield District Council, Tony Egginton said: “We are delighted to see that young people in Mansfield have been given the opportunity to take up these apprenticeships through the construction of this site. The Poppy Fields Extra Care development will not only provide excellent housing options, but will enable these apprentices to build on skills for the future.”

The Extra Care Housing scheme being developed by Mansfield District Council in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, will see 64 bungalows, houses and apartments for older adults built on Brownlow Road by November 2015.

Pictured are, front, Trainee Site Manager, Samuel Bispham, Apprentice Bricklayer, Callum Clarke, Apprentice GCO, Christian Allen and Apprentice Joiner, Josh Jacklin.

Back, Keepmoat Contracts Manager, Leigh Nurse, Executive Mayor of Mansfield District Council, Tony Egginton, Councillor Joyce Bosnjak, The Ward Councillor, Cllr Denis O’Neill, Keepmoat Project Manager, Gerry Doherty, Placement Support Officer for Futureworks, Nicky Field.