A renewable energy company has welcomed two apprentices to its fuel plant near Glasgow as part of a drive to kickstart careers for young people.

Martin Meechan, 18, and Lewis Bennett, 21, both from the city, are set to begin their careers as technicians at the Daldowie Fuel Plant which produces sustainable biofuel from wastewater.

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The four-year apprenticeship programme with energy company Drax gives new recruits the opportunity to gain experience by working with skilled engineers at the plant.

Lewis said: “I applied for an apprenticeship with Drax as I’ve always wanted to work in the energy sector, and this is the perfect opportunity to gain engineering experience.

“I also wanted to work for a company that can train me to a high standard so I can carry this with me throughout my career.

“I’m looking forward to learning new skills and finding out what it takes to run a plant.

“I’m very excited for what my future holds at Drax.”

Lewis and Martin will start work on-site at Daldowie after completing formal training at the East Kilbride Group Training Association.

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Ian Kinnaird, Scottish assets and generation engineering director at Drax, said: “Providing these young people with the tools needed to become the skilled workforce of the future is not only essential to the success of our business, it’s also an incredibly rewarding part of what we do.  

“Giving our apprentices the opportunity to work on renewable energy technology will ensure we’re nurturing our in-house talent and creating opportunities for people here in Scotland to lead the green energy revolution needed to get the UK to net-zero.” 

Drax is hiring 20 apprentices across the UK this year including four in Scotland.

The company runs a variety of initiatives to support STEM education and skills in Scotland like offering power station tours, interactive workshops, and work experience opportunities.