LEADING building services contractor Whitehead Building Services is basing its future growth on the excellence of its staff and in particular the quality of its apprentices as it has done in the past.

The Newport-based business, established in 1978, is recognised as one of the UK’s leading providers of mechanical and electrical building services.

Operating from its headquarters near the centre of Newport, the business which also has bases in Bristol and Swansea employs in excess of 150 staff with a projected turnover this year of more than £30m.

The firm has built up an enviable portfolio over the years having worked on a number of high profile projects such as the BBC studios at Cardiff Bay, the new science and innovation campus at Swansea University, and the Celtic Manor Resort and the iconic Ryder Cup Club House.

Whitehead managing director Rhys Morton, himself a former apprentice, is proud of his firm’s record and in particular the importance of apprentices in their past and current success.

He is also pleased that Whitehead and its unrivalled band of skills enables clients to ‘spend their Welsh pound in Wales'.

Rhys, who started in the industry as a 16-year-old apprentice alongside his Whitehead operations director Mike Parry, said: “Apprentices are the lifeblood of our industry and our business. Many of Whitehead's company directors and senior management team started their careers by undertaking an apprenticeship.

“And I am very proud to say that many of the Whitehead former apprentices were involved in delivery of some of our most high profile projects which as well as those listed above also include work at the Llanelli Scarlets Stadium, the Hitachi train depot in Swansea and Cardiff University's new building for its business and law department.”

Rhys is particularity pleased that Whitehead is not only playing a key role in the delivery of the Friars Walk retail and leisure development, one of the Wales most significant and important construction projects currently under way, but also that Whitehead apprentices are playing an important part in its delivery.

“There is no doubt that Friars Walk is one of the biggest and most significant projects currently under way in Wales. It is important to Wales as a country but of crucial importance for the city of Newport. Not only do we have some 60 staff working on site but a proportion of these are current apprentices.

“The apprenticeship route has served us well over the years. We have trained in excess of 120 people over our 37 years or trading. We generally take on an average of five apprentices each and every year. We are pleased to have been able to welcome nine new apprentices in 2015, which takes the current number of apprentices working at Whitehead to 32.”

Rhys said: "Whitehead, which advertised widely through Wales and the West to fill its apprenticeship vacancies, received 200 applications for the apprenticeship positions.

“We received some very impressive applications from a wide sector of applicants. I am delighted that these young people have chosen to join us and are working on the exciting projects with which we are involved, especially Friars Walk and the Swansea University projects."

One apprentice, just two weeks into his job and working alongside senior experienced staff on site at Friars Walk, is apprentice pipe fitter Aaron Price, aged 19, from Blackwood.

Aaron said: “Working on a project like this really is a dream come true. I have always wanted to become a skilled tradesman in the construction industry. I never expected when I applied that I would be able to be working on such a prestigious development as this - when it opens in a few weeks I be able to tell people I helped build Friars Walk.”

Josh Law, aged 20, from Caerphilly, is a second-year apprentice with Whitehead. After a year of study at the University of South Wales, he decided to follow the apprenticeship route which allowed him to earn while he was studying.

Josh, working alongside fellow second year apprentice Joseph Bray, aged 21, also of Caerphilly, said: “I really love the work. I was doing a related course at uni but wanted to be hands on and also to be earning money which is what the apprenticeship offers."