BSW Timber has announced that it will support 21 apprentices across Scotland and the rest of the UK over the next year as part of its efforts to support education, employment and skills development in the industry.

Six new recruits will join the firm this summer, working alongside 15 apprentices who will embark on their second and third years of the apprenticeship schemes. The new recruits will be based across the firm’s Dalbeattie mill in Dumfries and Galloway and its flagship mill in Fort William.

BSW has offered apprenticeships across Scotland and the UK since 2008, in disciplines including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and saw doctor engineering.

Tony Lockey, group training officer for BSW Timber, said: “At BSW, we’re in a fantastic position to be able to support increasing numbers of apprentices, particularly at our flagship sawmill in Fort William. By supporting a range of disciplines and a number of apprentices at different stages of their career, we’re able to contribute towards a bridging of the skills gap which will be beneficial to our young people, to ourselves as a firm and to the wider industry.

“This year, we’ll be supporting the most apprentices we’ve ever had at BSW and in the coming years we hope to continue to increase the number of apprentices across our business as well as to diversify the range of disciplines that we’re able to support.”