Evidence of the bright future the V&A project is offering Dundee is provided by three people working on the £80 million project.
Dawn Lennard, Paul McFarlane and Julie Speirs thought their world had come to an end when their former employer Muirfield Contracts went into administration this year.
They were part of the 300-strong workforce made redundant in the surprise collapse of the company with debts of more than £6.9 million.
The trio are delighted to have been able to revive their careers by working on an iconic project of major importance to the city’s economic future.
Dawn Lennard, originally from Zimbabwe, is site administrator for principal contractor BAM Construction.
“I was thrilled to get this job after what happened at Muirfield,” she said.
“I had been with the company for eight years and thought I was going to be there until I retired.
“The end came so unexpectedly, and it was a terrible shock when Muirfield went into administration.”
She was out of work for three weeks before being appointed administrator for 150 workers on the central waterfront site.
“It’s amazing to be part of the V&A project which is so important for Dundee, and there’s a real buzz about the place,” she said.
Quantity surveyor Paul McFarlane said: “I’d joined Muirfield when I was 21.
“It had been my only job and I’d thought it was a company with a long-term future.
“When it came to an end I wondered what was going to happen to me.
“I’d been unemployed for four weeks and it was great to get back to work so soon, and on such an exciting project.”
Julie Speirs, project engineer with specialist civil engineers Carey’s, had worked for Muirfield for seven years.
“It was a great opportunity for me to be able to work on such a big and exciting project locally,” she said.
“It’s such an unusual project because of the nature of the work with the museum being built on the waterfront, and it’s fantastic to be part of it.”
Dundee City Council administration leader Ken Guild said: “The aspirational V&A Dundee is designed to provide the city and Scotland with a world-class museum which will help to provide jobs and wider economic benefits.
“I am pleased to see that the skills of these people have been retained in the local economy on this significant construction project. V&A Dundee will help to attract further investment into the city and I am pleased to see the progress that is ongoing at the site.”