A GROUND-breaking apprenticeship scheme is helping to reverse the desperate shortage of skilled tradesmen - and regenerating deprived areas of Bolton.

Thirty-two apprentices, aged between 16 and 19, will hone their skills by working on buildings in deprived parts of the Bolton area.

In the future, the scheme aims to recruit unemployed people aged 19 and over who have been out of work for some time in a bid to equip them with skills in vital trades that are urgently needed in their communities.

The Achieving Construction Excellence (ACE) project trains apprentices in brickwork, plastering, carpentry and joinery, plumbing, domestic heating and ventilation, and electrical installation.

Apprentices will refine their skills by repairing council houses and buildings in deprived areas of Bolton such as Breightmet, Bolton Central, Westhoughton and Farnworth.

The project will also encourage youngsters aged between 14 and 16 to gain entry-level qualifications in construction while still attending school.

Paul Cragg, project manager at Bolton Community College, said: "There are skill shortages in a lot of areas. One of the reasons is that there are not enough apprentices being trained.

"We are giving real apprenticeships with college training, complete with on-site site training and a real job at the end of it."

The project is run as a partnership between Bolton at Home, Bolton Community College, the education authority, Bolton Council, and Greater Manchester Learning and Skills.

Companies such as Bramall North-west, Connaught Property Service, Durose and Gourlay, HT Forrest and Roland Bardsley are also involved.

A staggering 540 people applied for the 32 apprenticeships currently available, and the college had to hold a selection process involving a written exam and interview to whittle down the numbers.

National media stories about tradesmen being able to command salaries in the region of £50,000 a year is believed to be partly behind the overwhelming interest.

The number of apprenticeships available has declined in recent years, even though the construction industry is currently experiencing a major upswing, with many new developments being built around Bolton.

This first batch of apprentices will train for between two and four years and will study for NVQ levels two and three.

Apprentices will be able to move between different companies to ensure their training is extremely broad-based.

Cllr Noel Spencer, chairman of Bolton at Home, which will be training 15 of the apprentices, said: "There is an enormous demand now compared to ten years ago for tradesmen and construction skills. We believe that the skills the partnership provides offer long-term potential for employment."

Mr Cragg said they wanted to increase the number of apprenticeships offered and were appealing for more local companies to join the partnership.

Samantha Calvert, aged 19, is one of the 32 apprentices who obtained a place on the project. She is an apprentice in heating and plumbing for Connaught Property Services.

The former Thornleigh Salesian College pupil said: "I tried the girlie jobs, but they just didn't do it for me.

"This pays more money and at the end of the day you really feel like you've worked for it. I like getting all dirty and sweaty! It's a bit different and it's interesting."

Samantha said the prospect of a high salary and the fact that there was shortage of plumbers and heating experts had attracted her to the trade.