BARRATT Homes, which is building houses in Bordon, has pledged to take on eight apprentices from the region.

Adding its full support to the campaign, the company, which is behind the 500-home project at Louisburg Barracks, has opened up positions for bricklayers, assistant site managers and carpenters and joiners.

The theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, which was held last week, called Ladder of Opportunity, focused on the progression routes of apprenticeships, from traineeships through to higher and degree apprenticeships.

Building on its commitment to secure three million apprenticeships by 2020, the Government reports that 624,000 apprenticeships have begun since May 2015.

Using a local workforce has long been a desire of councillors and other regeneration stakeholders - allowing Whitehill and Bordon to, in a sense, to “build itself”.

Tim Hill, managing director of Leicestershire-based Barratt Homes, said: “We want to invite anybody with an interest in construction to consider applying for one of our apprenticeships and help us to build our award-winning new homes.

“We’re extremely proud of our apprenticeship scheme and the talented team members who have passed through it and stayed with the company over the years. There is often discussion over the lack of skills within the industry, but we feel we’re playing a small but vital part in addressing this gap and setting up our staff for years of success.”

Barratt Developments’ apprenticeship programme sees learners work on an assigned development in the region for part of their working week, as well as taking part in classroom-based learning at a local college.

Barratt’s programme has been recognised by industry bodies as the best of its kind in recent years, including in the CITB Apprenticeship Awards, the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers, and the National Apprenticeship Service’s BT Macro Employer of the Year Awards.

Andy George, head of talent management at Barratt Developments, said: “We are a big supporter of National Apprenticeship Week. Over the past six years we have employed more than 500 apprentices, so they are a big focus for us in our recruitment.

“Our successful apprentices go on to have amazing careers with us and they play an important part in developing our talent of the future.

“By learning and providing new skills they help us to meet the future challenges of the housebuilding industry.”

National Apprenticeship Week was set up by the Government’s National Apprenticeship Service and is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

East Hampshire District Council is also an active supporter of apprenticeships, offering help to both employers and employees.

Under the East Hampshire District Council Enterprise Apprenticeship Scheme, the council works with employers and pays half the cost of an apprentice for two years.

However, unlike a lot of similar initiatives, the district council insists that apprentices receive the minimum wage and not the £3.30 an hour that some younger apprentices are legally paid. Employers have to offer a minimum of 30 hours per week.

The district council also pays for training and transport, which assist both employee and employer.

As well as new homes, the former Louisburg Barracks will host the Future Skills Centre, set to accept between 120 and 130 students from September. The centre will teach practical skills, with a focus on the construction sector.