A key objective for us at Plus Dane is to deliver good quality homes while also considering how we can contribute to the local economy of a neighbourhood, which is why we set targets to ensure that local people have access to any employment opportunities that building new homes creates. On one particular scheme in Knowsley we met Callum, who lives locally and has benefited from this approach. We went out to visit him to find out what attracted him to the opportunity and what he has gained from the experience.
Callum McLaughlin is learning on the job. He is working as a Trainee Site Manager for Countryside Partnerships, working on Plus Dane’s Arncliffe Gardens extra care scheme. His role takes on a wide range of responsibilities including safety checks, coordinating staff on site, making sure the correct materials for the day’s work are available, and inspecting work for snags – and he’s doing it all as an apprentice.
Callum, 22 and from Huyton, began his construction site supervisor apprenticeship (level 4) in Autumn 2021.
It’s not his first experience of apprenticeships – after leaving school, he completed a four year course to become a joiner. Although he enjoyed the work, he eventually started looking for something with more opportunity for career progression.
He used Knowsley Council’s dedicated online portal, The Knowsley Apprentice, to look for new jobs and applied for the role he now has.
He said: “I’d recommend the apprenticeship route to anyone. I hadn’t heard of this type of apprenticeship before but thought it offered everything I was looking for, and was lucky enough to get an interview and get the job. I really enjoy it and I’ve learned a lot about being on site and how everything works.
“Countryside is a good company to work for, they look after their team and I look forward to getting qualified and progressing my career here.”
Plus Dane and Countryside are members of Fusion21, a national social enterprise that specialises in efficient and impactful public sector procurement through a framework approach informed by social value.
