NINE apprentices from across Fife have successfully completed joinery training with Dunfermline-based home improvement specialist CR Smith.
The company has long championed skills development for young people, and said the new recruits had shown ‘incredible dedication’ to their training, not only in the workshop and on-site, but in developing the communication and professionalism needed to work directly with customers.
The group includes seven apprentices – Kayla Peden 20, Rosyth; Kyle Sung, 21, Dunfermline; Reece Bradley 18, Kirkcaldy; Ewan McMillan, 20, Dunfermline; Matthew Siddell, 18, Aberdour; Martins Zulps, 18, Kirkcaldy; and Jamie Ross, 26, from Cardenden – who have completed a City & Guilds SCQF Level 6 Diploma in Site Carpentry. Cameron McDonald, 29, and Jack Smith, 24, both from Leven have also completed a traditional four-year apprenticeship and are now fully qualified time-served joiners.
All nine will now join the CR Smith domestic and commercial installation teams across Scotland.
The programmes were delivered in partnership with Fife College, combining site experience with technical learning and mentoring. CR Smith said its apprenticeship model placed just as much emphasis on customer service and the importance of the brand as on joinery itself.
MD Ian Macfarlane said, “Our apprentices are vital to the future of CR Smith. From day one, they’re taught that attitude, reliability, and how you communicate with customers matter just as much as joinery skills. We’re proud to see how far they’ve come – they’ve embraced our values and are already making a real impact. Our reputation is built on quality and people, and these young tradespeople are proof that our investment in both continues to deliver.”
Frazer Walker, head of School for Engineering, Construction and Technical Skills at Fife College, added, “Our long-standing partnership with CR Smith provides students with invaluable real-world experience while they complete their studies, ensuring they develop both the technical skills and professionalism needed in the industry. We are incredibly proud of these students and look forward to seeing them succeed in their careers.”
