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ACHA drives forward its Apprenticeship Strategy

Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) recently agreed a 10-year strategy for repairs and maintenance with its subsidiary, Argyll Homes for All (AHFA). A key driver of that strategy was investment in repairs and maintenance for the future of the Association's stock and that vital service to tenants. A key part of that strategy is getting the right workforce in place and succession planning for the future. This has resulted in AHFA budgeting for 5 apprentices already recruited. This team of 7 will cover the trades of plumbing, builder-work, joiner-work, and gas engineering linked to air-source heat pumps and solar panels. These blue-collar apprentices fit in with ACHA's modern apprentice strategy, which has also brought through 6 modern apprentices in office-based roles in each of the Association's departments. The final piece of the jigsaw was the recruitment of a graduate trainee.

Alastair MacGregor, ACHA's Chief Executive commented

"Over the last year and the coming year the ACHA Group, which includes ACHA the parent and AHFA our repairs subsidiary, have been active in recruiting young people into the business. It is absolutely vital in these challenging times that we invest for the future. The Association has also committed to retaining Argyll and Bute's best young people and doing our bit to stop outward migration, and to keep our young people and offer them good career opportunities."

He further added

"Housing offers a variety of career opportunities from, in ACHA's case, chimney-sweeps to care-workers, and a suite of opportunities in between. The Association's commitment to attending school Jobs Fair throughout Argyll and Bute is starting to deliver in terms of young people's interest in housing as a career."

Photo: Alasdair MacDonald, Apprentice Joiner, Argyll Homes for All, based in Dunoon