Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026

Callum McVicar – Apprentice Joiner At Balmore Road with Lorraine Cloggie

Q: What attracted you to civil construction as a career?

I’ve grown up with building and construction; a lot of my family have been involved in this industry since I was young. My grandpa inspired me to work with my hands, he let me work with him over the years, and I knew I wanted to be a joiner since I was about 16.

I would also like to know more about bigger picture on the job, Frank (Barclay) goes to meetings and discusses how it all fits together with overall construction plan that sounds interesting.

Tam (Kelly) is my direct foreman just now and I have learned loads from him already. I am constantly tapping into his knowledge/experience. When I ask him how he knows all this, he says an auld guy taught him 30 years ago! I would like to be like him.

Q: What skills do you think you’ll be most excited to learn during your apprenticeship?

People skills. Working with other people on sites. An example was we were doing partition work on a site with steel fixers, and we all had to work together due to change of plan. It was good working as a team with people from another company to see the end goal and get job done.

However, education is important, I am never going to be able to look at a more difficult role in the future unless I keep learning and always asking and questioning and getting knowledge needed in things not directly related to the job as well.

I would like to do other courses in the future, learn more about surveying, and get knowledge on how to work things out.

I would like to put time into learning more skills like that. It is useful to keep on-going education in your job.

Q: How would you recommend others to reach out and take the next steps if they want to learn more, get support and a sense of direction?

To begin with I would share my personal experience of being an apprentice so far.

The other apprentices are supportive, Steven and Daniel, who have more experience and are always encouraging me. It’s been good learning from them, and we can pair up and teach each other.

I had no knowledge of construction two months ago (when I started), but I already feel a part of the team. Also, folk really do take time to share their knowledge and also learn from each other.

Q: What does success look like for you in this industry?

I saw something when on a site, I picked it up and it was business card with my initials on it and it was for a joinery company…

So, it must be good to work hard and then stand back and see what you have put in, what you have done and achieved. And now, looking at the bigger picture, maybe from a joiner to a site manager or push yourself to own your own company.

Q: How do you think we at Luddon can help to set you up for success?

Keep giving me the opportunity to build my experiences and skills and doing different jobs, and constantly learning.