During Scottish Apprenticeship Week, businesses across Scotland are celebrating the vital role apprentices play in strengthening industry, developing skills, and shaping the next generation of professionals.

At the forefront of this commitment is J&D Pierce Contracts Ltd, one of the UK’s leading structural steel specialists. The company currently supports 43 apprentices across a wide range of disciplines. At the heart of our company’s long-term success is a simple belief, investing in people is the best investment we can make.

Our Apprenticeship Directive continues to be a powerful example of that commitment in helping us nurture new talent, support career development and strengthen the future of our workforce. Apprentices bring fresh thinking, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Qualities that enrich our workforce and help drive innovation across our departments.

Equally important is mentorship. Experienced tradespeople and engineers pass down decades of knowledge, ensuring vital skills such as steel erection, fabrication accuracy, and mechanical maintenance continue to thrive in a rapidly evolving sector. Our apprenticeship strategy is helping support the next generation of professionals whilst building a strong and diverse workforce. As we continue to expand the programme, we’re excited to see the opportunities, ideas and future leaders it will create.

As Scottish Apprenticeship Week celebrates opportunity, innovation, and growth, the company’s ongoing commitment shows how investing in apprentices today helps secure the strength of tomorrow’s workforce.

Work is well underway in Strubeam Bay 3, with fabrication focused on key components for the Cardiff Arena truss project.

This stage of the project showcases some of our more intricate welding and plating capabilities, including full penetration butt welding and detailed plating works. The team’s expertise ensures that even the most complex sections are fabricated with precision, strength, and consistency.

The images captured offer a glimpse into the scale and complexity of the work, reflecting our commitment to quality in every beam that leaves our facility.

Great to see these Strubeam units moving through Bay 2, showcasing the scale, precision and capability of our in-house fabrication facilities.

Image 1
▪️ 80mm flanges & 60mm web plate
▪️ 14m long
▪️ 17.84 tonnes
▪️ 15mm fillet welds
▪️ All welds completed on our T&I machines

Image 2
▪️ 100mm flanges & 60mm web plate
▪️ 7m long
▪️ 11 tonnes
▪️ 15mm fillet welds
▪️ All welds completed on our T&I machines

Image 3
▪️ Over 20m long
▪️ 1.2m deep
▪️ Approx. 6 tonnes
▪️ Currently being welded on the T&I line

These heavy sections highlight the strength, accuracy and efficiency of our automated T&I welding lines, ensuring consistent quality across every unit.

We’re proud to announce that J&D Pierce Contracts Ltd has successfully passed our RISQS (Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme) audit with zero major non-conformances, zero minor non-conformances, and zero opportunities for improvement. This outstanding result reflects our team’s commitment to quality, safety, and excellence in steel fabrication and erection for the rail industry.

A brand-new course funded by the Ayrshire Growth Deal – was launched on Monday to provide a unique opportunity for six unemployed people to be trained to the international welding standard.

The IGNITE Welding Course, a transformative training initiative delivered in partnership with industry leaders J&D Pierce (Contracts) Ltd, has been funded through the Ayrshire Skills Investment Fund as part of the wider Ayrshire Growth Deal.

This intensive program aims to tackle a skills shortage by providing six unemployed individuals from across the region with the elite training required to become “Coded Welders”.

The IGNITE program is designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and high-skilled industrial roles. Over the coming weeks, participants will undergo rigorous training at J&D Pierce’s state-of-the-art facility in Glengarnock, one of the UK’s largest and most advanced structural steelwork engineering sites.

On successful completion of the course participants will have the opportunity to be become a “Coded Welder” by being tested to the standard BS EN 9606 for welder approval a recognised international standard. If successful they will receive their welder approval certificate to BS EN 9606 as confirmation the welder is capable of producing high quality, safe and reliable welds. Gaining them industry ready qualifications and real career prospects

The course will last 15 weeks and was launched by North Ayrshire Provost Anthea Dickson, who got to meet the six trainees and learn more about the opportunity it presents them.

She said: “I’m delighted to be launching this fantastic course which could offer a genuine life-changing opportunity to the six trainees. I’m very excited for them and look forward to seeing how they get on over the coming weeks.”

Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, added “By partnering with a sector leading employer like J&D Pierce, we are ensuring that our residents gain the exact skills needed by industry. This investment through the Ayrshire Growth Deal is a testament to our commitment to economic renewal and providing our people with pathways to high-quality, sustainable careers.”

Derek Pierce, Chairman at J&D Pierce, added: “We are proud to be working with North Ayrshire Council to be launching this course. As a local employer, we are always looking to provide pathways and opportunities, and we are delighted to have the support of this Ayrshire Growth Deal fund to create even more

“Welders are the backbone of the structural steel industry, and there is currently a significant demand for skilled professionals across Scotland and the UK. We are proud to host these six individuals and provide them with hands-on experience in a real-world engineering environment. We look forward to seeing them develop the precision and expertise required to thrive in this sector.”

Prior to commencing cladding works on a large scale new infrastructure project, logistical planning and appropriate plant selection are imperative.

In addition to the usual preparation of developing and agreeing Safe Systems of Work, we convened a project specific in- house training day at our East Kilbride Training Centre. This was attended by our cladding foremen and installers, Managers and Detailers, as well as representatives of the panel system manufacturer and the Main Contractor.

Part of the presentation day related to the safe unloading and storage of panels. In this instance we will be installing 175mm thick trapezoidal rockwool core panels, which have been transported all the way from a production facility in Belgium.

With the laydown area clearly cordoned off, and the ground conditions prepared and levelled, our trained and qualified plant operatives unloaded the vehicles and stored the panels adjacent to the workface in the recommended manner.

With a Banksman in attendance, and a Field Engineer from the system manufacturer also observing operations, we utilised spreader forks extension to ensure the pack weight was fully supported during the operation.

We are now ready to commence our installation works, in the knowledge that our roof and cladding panels are all in pristine condition.

J&D Pierce (Contracts) Ltd are delighted to announce some management structure changes to the business from January 2026.

Andrew Caldwell who has been with the business for 29 years with his current role as Board Director has decided to retire at Christmas. Andy worked his way through from Surveyor, Estimating Manager through to Board Director and has been a great asset to the business. We wish him a long and happy retirement.

Alan Hawkins will be appointed to the role of Director as Andys replacement. He has been in the structural steel industry his entire career and worked through various roles. He currently heads our Estimating Department within the business and is a well deserved appointment.

We are also delighted to announce that Derek Pierce will step down as Managing Director and take the role of Chairman within the business. Derek has led the business from the front for over 20 years and has elevated it to one of the top Structural Steelwork Contractors in the UK. Derek will have full involvement on a day to day basis giving guidance and advice to the new management team on leading the business forward and elevating to the next level.

The role of Managing Director within the business will obviously now become available. To allow the duties of this role to be undertaken and fulfil the demands of the position, we have decided to appoint joint Managing Directors, each being responsible for specific areas of the business. This will allow better visibility and control throughout all divisions within the group.

The persons appointed as joint Managing Directors are Dave Ryan and Jamie Pierce.

Dave Ryan started his career on the tools as a fabricator and worked his way into estimating. He joined our business 14 years ago in the Estimating Department working his way to Division Manager for our Strubeam business.

Jamie Pierce started his career with the business 15 years ago as an apprentice fabricator/welder. He moved onto site operations undertaking onsite variations, he then moved onto site engineering before moving to a site management role. After 8 years of being site based he was appointed as Operations Manager within the group headquarters in Ayrshire. He was then promoted to Operations Director two years ago.

We would like to congratulate everyone above on their new roles within the business. We look forward to the fresh energy and innovation this young, very experienced team will bring.