Building up numbers.

A CONSTRUCTION industry service group plans to boost the number of apprentices going into the industry after a strong take-up in recent years.

Despite the recession, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (North East) believes its courses, which are now in their third year, are some of the best in the industry, with some of their students going on to become the region's top project managers.

One such example is 24-year-old Marc Pearson, who works for Carillion Civil Engineering in Gateshead, after achieving his HND qualification in quantity surveying in 2006, a year after joining the firm.

Since then he has managed projects, including the installation of wind turbines at Nissan's motor manufacturing centre at Washington, Sunderland.

The 85-strong membership of companies active between Berwick and Whitby have responded positively to a CECA request to employ at least one school leaver a year who is part of the scheme.

It is now hoped the 2009 intake will exceed those previously, and that at least 26 will follow the 60 who have previously gone through.

Peter Samuel, chairman of Civil Engineering Contractors Association (North East), said: "Even at this difficult time in our industry, we must be more pro-active in employing operative trainees to have a sustainable future."

CAPTION(S):

SUCCESS Peter Samuel, front right, and Trainee of the Year Award winners, left to right, Marc Pearson, Stuart Turner and Peter Bamford