ASIF IGNITE Launch Welding Skills Course at J&D PIERCE, Glengarnock

I was delighted to attend the launch of the Ayrshire Skills Investment Fund (ASIF) Welding Skills Launch at J & D Pierce Contracts Ltd. in Glengarnock, home to Scotland's foremost structural steelwork contractor.

I enjoyed speaking to the cohort of 6 prospective welders – all from Ayrshire – successfully recruited from 65 applicants to take the course at J&D Pierce’s world class site and state of the art training skills academy.

Welders are in high demand across Scotland, and this course provides the skills to enter a welding career.

From this week they will receive hands-on training and work experience in the welding industry and with a view of obtaining employment on completion.

The course will run 2 days a week for 15 weeks including practical welding skills, accredited qualifications and work experience.

Norh Ayrshire Provost SNP Councillor Anthea Dickson officially opened the course. There will be three such welding training courses a year.

Following the course the welders will gain the skills to build structures for football stadiums, bridges, train stations and warehouses.

ASIF is a £3.5 million Ayrshire Growth Deal project, jointly funded by the SNP and UK Governments and Ayrshire’s three councils, designed to help employers grow and develop their teams while boosting skills for Ayrshire residents.

J&D Pierce is an ambitious and innovative company, employing just short of 600 people across five sites, and the company recently opened a dedicated shotblast and paint facility in Bellshill and also has a specialist bridge manufacturing facility in East Kilbride.

The Bellshill operation is the former Clydesdale Tube Works and required a £13 million investment to transform the third of a mile-long building into one of the biggest paint facilities in Europe.