STOURPORT-on-Severn construction company Thomas Vale has taken on 10 new trainees at its offices in the town and Birmingham as part of a strategic training programme linked to meeting the needs of its clients.

Managing director Tony Hyde said the image of the construction industry was changing very fast and becoming a very exciting sector to be in, with a very buoyant marketplace with significant levels of investment promised in education, health, roads and housing.

"It's this rolling programme of work, such as awards for work from the Wyre Forest Housing Group and Worcestershire County Council that's so vital and enables us to judge our future staffing needs," he said.

Bill Munn, Thomas Vale's training manager, said the Worcester Road firm currently had 10 per cent of its staff attending part-time degree courses at colleges and universities throughout the region.

"It's this commitment that reflects the company's confidence and commitment to the future."