Mature MA Scott nails it at work and at college!

Mature MA Scott nails it at work and at college!
Scott and Brian at the FVC Stirling Campus workshop

A respected Stirling based construction firm – have revealed during Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2023 – that they have laid the foundations for a solid new tradesman working in their ranks, by taking on a mature Modern Apprentice joiner.

Total Reinstatement Services – who have been based in Riverside, Stirling for the last 24 years – saw the benefits and were more than happy to take on 32 year-old Scott Stewart as a Modern Apprentice (MA) Joiner a couple of years ago, and the move is already paying dividends as he enters the third year of his MA.

With around 60 staff in construction trades such as joinery, decoration, plumbing and heating, groundworks and stonemasonry, Total Reinstatement Services have built up a respected reputation for refurbishing fire and flood damaged properties for the insurance industry, working for various local authorities and housing associations plus several charities and private clients.

As such they need reliable, professional and talented tradesmen and women who they know they can trust to deliver quality projects.

That’s why owner Brian Gillies (62), had absolutely no qualms in taking a chance on a more mature Modern Apprentice to enhance his workforce.

Brian said: “Scott came to us as a labourer and expressed an interest in joinery. We had already tasked him on site with some low key joinery jobs and had seen he had an aptitude for it and so were keen to take a chance on him as an apprentice joiner. He also must have had it in his genes as his father was a joiner and was the first employee of the company when we started up in 1998.

“I would thoroughly recommend other construction firms to think about taking on mature MAs as – despite the initial cost implication – the return to your business is quicker once they are qualified. I think the difference is that older MAs already have both work and life experience and are generally of greater maturity than may be the case for a typical school lever. The combined effect is to produce a more focused MA with a greater appreciation of the opportunity being afforded to them. 

“I have to say that Forth Valley College has been absolutely fantastic with us in relation to Scott and our other MAs and I am really grateful for that too.

“I am proud that 13 of our employees served their apprenticeships with my firm and are still with us– some may have left and come back – but they are still here now. I hope that affording him this opportunity and a great working environment will encourage Scott also to remain with us beyond his apprenticeship thus allowing us to grow and develop our business with skilled tradespeople in place. This is so important for a business which relies upon customer retention and repeat business.”

Scott, said: “I had previously worked at as a manger in a supermarket, but I wasn’t fulfilled in my work. I joined Total Reinstatement Services as a labourer and I quickly took an interest in the joinery side of things. I approached Brian to say that I quite liked the idea of being a joiner like my dad and things progressed from there.

“I am really enjoying every day of my new career to be honest and it keeps my brain active and my dad is also taking a real interest in how I am developing. Everything has been brilliant at the College and the lecturers are great too… very knowledgeable and experienced.

“I would thoroughly recommend the MA programme in joinery, particularly for anyone who is a little bit older. I would probably admit that I would not have been as enthusiastic about my MA when I was 16 as I am now. Brian and the Apprenticeship have given me a chance to make a good career and I want to make the most of it.”

Irene Kane, FVC Apprenticeship Officer, said: “I first met Scott on his first day in college when I did a class induction. Scott came to us as an adult apprentice when he decided to have a change of career. His dedication and attitude to work has been very obvious from the moment he started. I think he was a bit nervous about coming back to studying, but he has fitted in well with his fellow apprentices and is enjoying his new challenge. Scott also is a credit to Total Reinstatement Services and I am sure he will make a huge success of his chosen career.”

At the moment firms such as Alexander Dennis, Syngenta, Edinburgh Airport and Bo’ness Railway are actively recruiting for Engineering MAs, so anyone interested in finding out more about the FVC Modern Apprenticeship programme should visit https://www.forthvalley.ac.uk/ways-to-study/apprenticeships/modern-apprenticeships/