Success for Barratt apprentice scheme

Housebuilder Barratt has expanded its training programme and now has a total of 530 apprentices. It also has 55 young graduates on fast-track career paths.
Chief executive David Pretty said Barratt runs one of the largest training programmes in the construction industry.
"They are helping us address the national skills shortage," he said. Some of the youngsters have already started climbing the group's promotion ladder.
Barratt's latest annual results show turnover (12 months to 30 June) higher at £2.5bn (£2.2bn on the previous year) while pre-tax profit rose to £370m (£290m).
The UK housing division completed 14,000 new homes, an increase of 5%. The operating margin was higher at 15.7%. "This improvement reflects the benefits of continued sales momentum, strict control of costs and stringent land acquisition criteria," Pretty said.
Barratt has pulled its overhead costs back to just 3% of turnover, among the lowest in the industry.
The private purchasers of the first 23 steel-framed modular homes in the East Midlands are reported to be happy with their new accommodation.
Barratt's joint venture company Advance Housing has completed a further 58 similar properties on six more sites, including 11 for a housing association client.
Future output will be reined back while production techniques and on-site erection procedures are refined.