Scottish Apprenticeship Week: Sighthill footbridge is shaping the construction professionals of tomorrow

The Glasgow Times was granted exclusive access to the pedestrian and cyclist footbridge sitting over the M8, which will reconnect Sighthill to the nearby city centre.

The iconic project, carried out by BAM Nuttall, started in March 2020 and is due to be completed in June. 

The Sighthill footbridge in Glasgow is due to be completed in June

Work on the Sighthill footbridge started in March 2020.

With 1,000 homes, a new school campus, and park being built nearby, it is part of the biggest scheme of its type in the UK, outside of London.

However, not only is it a crucial development for local communities, it is also providing a stepping-stone for young people to kick start their careers in the construction industry. 

For Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we spoke to young apprentices there to find out how the BAM schemes are helping them reach their goals.

Stephen Maclennan, 24, is attending a 2-year-long apprenticeship as a ground worker, alongside his classes at college. He has been working at the footbridge site for the last two months.

Stephen Maclennan, from Glasgow, is attending a 2-year-long apprenticeship as a groundworker, alongside his classes at college.

The 24-year-old got the itch for construction after a brief stint on a building site a few years ago.

READ MORE: New homes ready for first tenants at Sighthill

He said: “I’ve only been here a couple of months but so far it’s been good, the people I work with are very supportive, every day is different and all in all I’m enjoying myself. 

“I was in a job that I wasn’t really enjoying previously, this is very different but it’s definitely something I will continue to do.”

For the young apprentice, working on such a groundbreaking scheme like the Sighthill footbridge is a source of pride: “Obviously, I’ve only just started here but I still feel important because it’s a major project and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Ruaridh McLeod started at the Sighthill footbridge site six months ago, as part of a four-year civil engineering graduate apprenticeship.

Ruaridh McLeod is six months into his four-year civil engineering graduate apprenticeship, which he attends whilst studying at Strathclyde University. 

The 18-year-old from Glasgow feels the work experience he is getting at the site is putting him ahead of the crowd.

He said: “Not only do you get your university qualifications but you get four years of applying that knowledge in the field.

“I’ve learned so much in only six months because every day you’re doing something different.

“The footbridge will be a landmark in Glasgow and to be a part of that is a brilliant experience.”

Emma Crowe, 18, started her quantity surveying apprenticeship in September.

Emma Crowe, also 18, started her quantity surveying apprenticeship in September, alongside her degree at Glasgow Caledonian University.

When she stumbled upon quantity surveying (QS), the branch dealing with the commercial aspects of construction, she knew it was right for her.

She said: “I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and then I just stumbled across quantity surveying. 

“There’s definitely not a lot of awareness about it in school, so I was really lucky that I came across it and it just seemed to tick all the boxes, I’m really enjoying it."

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Emma, also from Glasgow, is not intimidated by being one of the few females in what is traditionally a male-dominated environment. 

“I’m feeling completely welcome and part of the team and respected and quite proud to be representing a minority in the industry, so hopefully we can work towards changing that," she said.

“To other girls considering this profession I would say, go for it and you’ll be welcomed with open arms, it’s a different world these days.”

Owen Wilson, 18, from Renfrew, is in his second year of his quantity surveying apprenticeship

Owen Wilson, from Renfrew, is in his second year of a quantity surveying apprenticeship, which he also attends as part of a four-year course at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Working alongside seasoned professionals is proving invaluable for Owen.

He said: “It’s helping me to start my career and also keeping me focused because I’m working with people who are already in the role and have the experience, so I can see where my career is going to end up and it’s exciting. 

Owen also hopes to stay with BAM and called for schools to raise more awareness of opportunities like these.

He added: “I know when I was in school I didn’t know what quantity surveying was because nobody really told me, so I hope it gets more exposure."

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James Wilson, site agent at BAM Nuttal, guides the apprentices at the SIghthill footbridge site in North Glasgow

James Wilson, site agent at BAM Nuttall guiding the apprentices, said: “The apprenticeships give young people a stepping-stone and access to plenty of opportunities to develop and progress through BAM.

“The benefits of a project like this go beyond the infrastructure itself, but also include taking on young people in the area and giving them a full time job.

“Traditionally, for example, civil engineers or quantity surveyors go through the university route. 

“But a lot of people nowadays maybe can't afford to do that. And this apprenticeship scheme gives them the opportunity to still get that end goal but through a different means of education.”

Paul Skerry, early careers and professional development manager at Royal BAM Group, said: “Across the UK we have about 400 apprentices working on 70 different pathways,  doing both technical and trade apprenticeships.

“We're proud to see they are bringing new blood into trades from all sorts of different backgrounds and it is a great way to increase diversity."