Len follows the right Route to Work and lands a gem of a job

Mar 26 2008 By Robert Mitchell, Wishaw Press

THEY say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend — so Wishaw man Len Kennedy must be the most popular guy in town after landing a job with a top diamond-drilling company.

The 35-year-old landed on his feet after he decided to take a chance signing up with a council jobs programme that aims to help local people to get themselves back into full-time employment.

He now has a new career to look forward to with Eurocentral-based Clyde Valley Drilling, and wants to tell other unemployed people that the Routes to Work project does work.

Len said: “I was struggling to find a job that I really enjoyed and excelled at but the Routes to Work programme was able to steer me in the right direction and gave me the opportunity to work at CVD, where I’ve since developed a range of new skills.

“The training that we received was very intense and my first four weeks were spent in the CVD academy where I received training in construction health and safety procedures, manual handling, asbestos awareness and the various aspects of hydraulic-diamond drilling and saw-cutting.

“Only then was I allowed to go out on-site. I am now working as a diamond driller and I’m really enjoying it.

“My plan is to stay at CVD and continue to develop my skills.”

Established in 1997, CVD specialise in diamond drilling and controlled robotic demolition, and use some of the most technical and expensive machinery in the drilling industry.

With more than 85 staff, the company have expanded rapidly since their launch and are always seeking to add to their workforce in order to keep up with the demand for their diamond drilling expertise.

Owen Barrett, managing director of CVD Ltd, said: “We operate in a very specialised segment of the industry and in the past we have struggled to recruit personnel with the appropriate skills and experience.

“It was for this reason that we invested in setting up our own training academy and appointed a dedicated training officer, which has helped ensure that we have access to a skilled workforce.

“When we were approached by North Lanarkshire Council about the Routes to Work initiative, we saw it as a great opportunity not only to expand our workforce but to contribute to the local economy.

“We are a Lanarkshire firm and it is important to us that we are able to generate employment for the community we work in.”

Councillor Tom Maginnis, who is the convener of the Regeneration Committee, at North Lanarkshire Council, congratulated both the company and Len after the success of the recent programme.

He said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working benefiting both the trainees, who now have well-paid rewarding jobs, and the company, who have brought highly-trained, motivated people into the organisation.

“The council and their partners are committed to working with local employers to deliver good people back into the economy.

“We therefore welcome the vision of CVD to set up their own training academy in North Lanarkshire to serve their future.”