The road ahead looks good for a group of apprentices

Four young recruits, including one from Alnwick, who earned their spurs helping to deliver one of the largest infrastructure developments in the North East are heading off to a new project.
From left: Josh Lawless, Matthew Higgs, Sam Lawless and Dan Robinson.From left: Josh Lawless, Matthew Higgs, Sam Lawless and Dan Robinson.
From left: Josh Lawless, Matthew Higgs, Sam Lawless and Dan Robinson.

Sam Lawless, Dan Robinson, Matthew Higgs and Josh Brown were all recruited as raw apprentices when Carillion started work on the Morpeth Northern Bypass in 2015.

With work on the vital new route set to be completed for spring 2017, the four youngsters are being deployed to work on a huge infrastructure project on the outskirts of Manchester for the bulk of 2018.

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They were recruited especially for the bypass and have only worked on that project, so the team is looking forward to throwing themselves into another massive project.

Sam, 20, an apprentice civil engineer from Alnwick, said: “We have all received a brilliant education on the Morpeth Northern Bypass and with us all being local lads, it’s been a fantastic project to cut our teeth on.

“While we have enjoyed our time on the bypass, I can’t wait to get started in Manchester and it’s great that we are all heading over there together.”

Carillion will finish construction work on the Morpeth Northern Bypass, which has taken two years to build, in the spring. When open, it will cut travel time to and from Morpeth and open up south-east Northumberland for development and inward investment opportunities.

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The apprentices were recruited following an event held in Morpeth Town Hall.

The lucky four, including Dan, 19, from Ashington and Natthew, 21, from Gateshead, beat off competition from 40 other hopefuls to win the coveted roles at Carillion, one of the UK’s largest construction businesses.

Widdrington lad, Josh, a 19-year-old technical apprentice, said: “I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to start my working life on such a huge and important project right next to where I was raised.

“We have learned a great deal and worked alongside one of the most experienced workforces possible, which has meant that help and guidance has always been available.”

Project manager Scott Beattie said the quartet are ‘examples of what can be achieved with hard work, enthusiasm and a can-do attitude’.