A FORMER lifeguard, a plumber and a hospital pathology lab worker are among the 10 new recruits to a new apprenticeship scheme in high-risk safety management.

They fought off competition from more than 100 applicants to secure a training place with Cleveland Fire Brigade Risk Management.

The group who come from across the region started the three-month course this week and will join one of the company’s on-site protection teams and work towards an NVQ qualification through a local college.

As CFB Risk Management’s first Apprentice Site Protection Officers the recruits aged between 19 and 27 are on 18 month contracts.

The new apprentices are Jack Tiernan and Richard Jones from Middlesbrough; Richard Smedley, Sedgefield; Jack Walker and Ryan Teschner from Redcar; Joel McAllister, Skelton; Josh Brown from Marske; Jack Peacock from Darlington; Jordan Craddy from Hartlepool and Thomas Pattison from Billingham.

They come from a variety of backgrounds having worked in a petrol station, tailoring shop, warehouse and customer services. Two have joined from university with degrees in forensic science and English.

Richard Jones, aged 19, who was working as a joiner, said: “I was so thrilled to hear I had been successful. My Dad is a fire-fighter, it is something I have always wanted to do and this particular apprenticeship has the advantage of giving me additional valuable qualifications. I know that it will give me a career for life.”

CFB Risk Management, the first community interest company of its kind to be set up in the UK by a Fire Authority, provides a range of risk management services to companies operating in the high-hazard sector.

Site Protection Teams play a key part in providing emergency response to incidents at a client company’s site including the rescue of personnel, first aid and security. The qualifications the apprentices will gain at college include BTEC, Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH) and International Trauma Life Support (ITLS).

A growing number of contracts with blue-chip companies in the oil and gas, petrochemical, nuclear and other sectors around the UK and an increasing presence in Europe and the Middle East sees the company heading for a £2m turnover in this financial year.

Managing Director Ian Hayton said: “We now have one of the largest workforces in the UK with the skills and competence to work in high hazard situations, helping companies to protect their workforce, premises and avoid costly disruption to production. We need to maintain that level of skills in the future and our success has enabled us to provide this opportunity for ten young people in our local community. We wish them every success in their apprenticeships.”