Wood panel manufacturer, West Fraser, has marked over 40 years of training, development and supporting young apprentices in the surrounding area, by welcoming three new trainees to the business.
The three apprentices have begun their first year of West Fraser’s industry leading four-year apprenticeship programme at its Cowie plant, as part of the Stirlingshire employer’s long-established syllabus, which sees apprentices take periods of on-the-job training at West Fraser.
Kerr McQueen, Daniel White and Nathan Reilly have all joined the team and will be working as a mechanical apprentice, electrical apprentice and process apprentice respectively – with the latter overseeing the process of manufacturing at the site.
With over 100 apprentices having come through the business across 40 years, West Fraser has always had a strong commitment towards supporting trainees, helping to build skills and provide a clear pathway to a career within the sector. Currently 50 per cent of its overall work force at the Cowie facility started off on an apprenticeship.
Daniel White, who is working towards an electrical apprenticeship qualification, said:
“So far, the team has been very welcoming and supportive. Seeing how the day-to-day works and meeting new people has been fantastic.
“I’m hoping that by the end of my apprenticeship, I’ll be able to secure a permanent job with the team to continue my development as an electrical engineer.”
Nathan Reilly, who is working on a Process Apprenticeship, said:
“I’m enjoying the friendly and professional environment so far at West Fraser. I’m hoping to gain valuable experience and eventually get my qualification to help me further grow within the role.”
Ashley Mitchell, HR manager at the West Fraser plant in Cowie, said:
“West Fraser recognises the importance of hands-on experience for those starting out in work, so providing an opportunity to educate and develop young people to tackle the skill gaps within our industry remains a priority for us.
“With over 40 years of experience in the developing and supporting young apprentices, our well-rounded programme is a fantastic way of training our apprentices on the varied work systems that we have in place and offers a clear path on which to progress at West Fraser.
“All three of our first-year apprentices have already proved to be fantastic additions to our team and we are excited to see them progress over the next four years as part of the West Fraser family.”
“We also urge anyone interested in an exciting and fulfilling apprenticeship with our team to get in touch, as we’re currently looking to consider our next year of trainees at West Fraser.”
For more information on West Fraser, visit https://uk.westfraser.com/.