The regional arm of housebuilder Persimmon is taking part in a group-wide initiative to reward its young employeers.

Persimmon’s Young Achievers awards programme aims to put the spotlight on apprentices and trainees who have excelled in their roles.

Categories include Trade Apprentice of the Year, Sales Trainee of the Year and Business Trainee of the Year, with one of the winners then being crowned overall Young Achiever of the Year. Cash prizes will also be presented.

Persimmon says it is committed to investing in its young workforce in order to create a skill base that will take the company forward in the future.

Jeff Fairburn, who became chief executive of the company last year, has placed emphasis on the role young people can play in the business as he himself started in the construction industry as a 17-year-old apprentice quantity surveyor.

Andrew Fuller, managing director of Persimmon Homes Anglia, said: “It is a very exciting time to be starting your career in the construction industry and the Young Achievers awards programme aims to reward those youngsters who have got off to a flying start.

“With high youth unemployment and people talking of a ‘lost generation’ it is important to us that we nurture our young workforce, give them quality training and the skills they need to succeed, and then watch them flourish and forge successful careers.”