Ross is in his third year of a four-year Painting and Decorating apprenticeship. He's sharing his experiences with us for Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
Applying for the apprenticeship is the best decision I’ve made.
As a member of our property maintenance team, he works on council properties across the county. He first heard about craft apprenticeships as a pupil at Preston Lodge High School. “I’ve always been hands on,” he explains. “So when the chance came up I thought it would be a good thing to learn.”
Although Ross had work experience from part-time jobs in retail and a call centre, moving into a trade was a new experience. However he was determined to make the most of the opportunity and learn as much as he could. “Having a neat hand and a good eye for detail helps you to stand out in this area. You need patience as well to problem solve,” says Ross.
On a day-to-day basis Ross is part of the voids team and his work can range from small decorating jobs to papering and painting full houses. He also attends Edinburgh College to learning a range of new techniques and specialist paint skills such as marbling.
“Applying for the apprenticeship is the best decision I’ve made,” says Ross. “You get paid to learn a trade and you can take that wherever you want. If anyone is thinking of going for it I’d strongly suggest that they do.”
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