Two Ipswich construction companies have joined forces to help a youngster get on the career ladder.

Barnes Construction is funding half the cost of an 18-year-old carpentry and joinery apprentice at local sub-contractors M&S Contractors.

Ethan Doman of Ixworth is benefiting from an apprenticeship bursary which came out of a conversation between bosses at Barnes. 

Barnes Construction chairman William Barnes and joint managing director Mark Hart were looking at ways the business could give something back for the good of the industry and help a young person to learn the trade.

Mr Hart talked to Simon (Gus) Cutting, who is managing director at M&S - a company which has worked with Barnes for more than 30 years.

“I know that M&S gets a lot of young people applying for craft apprenticeships, so I suggested that Barnes would like to part fund an extra position within their business," explained Mark.

Barnes - which is based at Ransomes Europark and started trading more than 40 years ago - has run a successful management trainee programme for many years.

"We are proud that over 60% of our workforce has come through this route working their way up in the business – in fact four of our directors joined us as management trainees," he said.

"However, this move - to part fund an apprentice position with one of our supply chain partners - was for us about doing something good for the industry without necessarily getting anything back.”

Gus said he had received an application from Ethan and asked him in for an interview.

"We had already taken on our annual cohort of new apprentices, so the offer from Barnes to support us with funding 50% of the cost for a further apprentice was a no-brainer for us," he said.

"He wanted to be a carpenter and what impressed me was that he had already been attending West Suffolk College for a year doing the City & Guilds (C&G) in Carpentry and Joinery – to me that showed commitment.

“So I offered him the job and he is now on board and will be continuing his three-year apprentice at M&S, spending one day a week at college studying for his C&G Diploma.”

Ethan said he is loving the job and being employed by two well-established local companies gave him "a real sense of pride".

“I know that the pressure will be on for me to pass my diploma, but with Barnes’ sponsorship, along with M&S management at site level, I am positive I can achieve what is expected of me."