Steven Cochrane

Easterhouse-born Steven Cochrane, 17, reflects on his decision to join City Building and encourages his peers to consider an apprenticeship.

After visiting the construction firm for a taster session while at school, Steven decided to apply for the four-year-long apprenticeship scheme and successfully joined City Building in October 2021. Now an apprentice electrician, he studies at City Building’s Queenslie Training Centre, with his time equally divided between the classroom and being on site.

Steven said: “I don’t know anyone else who works in construction, but I always thought I would like a job in the industry. I was 15 when I decided I wanted to be an electrician and I’m confident I made the right choice.

“I didn’t really enjoy school and I clashed with some teachers. I found it very repetitive, and it put me off higher education altogether. That’s why the apprenticeship is such a good option for me personally; the balance of studying towards my SVQ and working on site suits me well.

“I think a lot of people in this line of work have similar experiences with school. I just didn’t feel it was for me. With City Building, however, because it’s one of the bigger employers, you have so many options and opportunities to study in a way that suits you. There’s 12 of us in my class and this way of working is a good fit for each one of us.”

He added: “City Building is the best place I could have chosen for my apprenticeship. I feel supported and I’ve met a lot of people from different backgrounds because the business is such a big employer.

“Having so many different departments and roles across the business means that I can continually learn and add to my skill set. This means I can develop in my career in whatever pathway I wish, and that freedom is hugely inspiring.

“If anyone is considering an apprenticeship, I would say absolutely go for it. I haven’t given a lot of thought about the future, but I could see myself with City Building for a good while down the line.”