Fleming Homes' Asher Humphrey-Martin is a role model for any young apprentice

Modern apprenticeships are an important part of how we do this. We chose attitude over aptitude, believing that if the fit is right then we can provide the training. An SME business based in Duns, Fleming Homes has progressed four individuals through Modern Apprentices and three through Graduate Apprenticeships in recent years.

Asher Humphrey-Martin, one of our apprenticeship stars, has demonstrated that it is possible to achieve academic success alongside career progression through work-based learning. Asher joined Fleming Homes in 2016 on a work placement for two weeks… and never left! After accepting a permanent position, he completed a Modern Apprenticeship over two years with Edinburgh College. He then progressed to a Graduate Apprenticeship scheme with Edinburgh Napier University, graduating in July 2023 with first class honours. It’s not easy to juggle the demands of a full-time job and study at the same time, but Asher has managed to do just that, all the while being an amiable and valued member of the whole Fleming Homes’ team. In January of this year, he was appointed Construction Design Manager, heading up our team of five technicians who look after client’s projects throughout the construction design phase. Asher’s career progression is notable, given he is still just 25 years old.

Asher says “Being able to directly apply what I was studying to real life scenarios has made for a much more rounded learning experience. I’ve effectively graduated from Uni with nearly seven years of relevant experience in the field, and that’s allowed me to take on a management role that I would otherwise still be years away from.”

Fleming Homes Managing Director and DYW Borders board member Sarah Mathieson says “Asher’s journey highlights perfectly that the traditional route through higher education isn’t the only way to achieve academic and career success”.

An apprenticeship is a genuine job which has a training or skills development programme running alongside it. According to www.apprenticeships.scot/ there are currently nearly 40,000 apprentices training in Scotland across more than 12,000 employers. Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16 and not in full time education who wishes to gain new skills, develop existing ones or generally improve their employability. They are also a great way for employers to upskill their workforce.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week runs from 4 – 8 March 2024 and celebrates the many benefits that apprenticeships can bring to a variety of stakeholders.