The bright future of apprentices celebrated at inaugural awards
Talented apprentices, employers, training providers, sponsors and guests gathered in Inverness recently to celebrate their success.
The inaugural Highlands & Islands Apprenticeship Awards, headlined by NRS Dounreay, took place at The Kingsmills Hotel on Thursday 27 November.
The prestigious awards ceremony included 13 award categories, recognising both outstanding apprentices and the employers and training providers who support them.
Host Nicky Marr with Nicole, Pauline, Jo and Pippa of the UHI Inverness Business Solutions team who received the Training Provider of the Year Award.
Joanne MacKinnon, Business Solutions Manager, said:
“I’m so proud of our team - Pauline, Pippa, Nicole, Cheryl, Hazel, Erin, David, Sam and Isabel - and grateful to our curriculum teams, assessors, apprentices, employers, and ambassadors, for delivering high-quality training.”
Host Nicky Marr welcomed guests saying:
“Tonight, we’re here to celebrate apprenticeships. And that means celebrating apprentices, of course, but it also means celebrating everyone who makes apprenticeships possible and successful - the employers, mentors and the incredible training providers who support them every step of the way.”
Andrew Calder, programme engineering manager at headline sponsor NRS Dounreay, said:
“As someone who had started my own journey as an apprentice, I know first-hand how apprenticeships build not only technical ability, but confidence, character and a mindset that shaped careers and lives. At NRS Dounreay, we have taken great pride in delivering more than 1,200 apprenticeships over 70 years, continuing to invest in future engineers, designers, surveyors, project managers and innovators across multiple disciplines. This event truly celebrates the talent, potential and bright future of apprentices across the region.”
Our apprentice Kaii Foxcroft of RJ McLeod (Contractors) won Construction Apprentice of the Year.
Thanks was expressed to judges Mick Moore, site services director at NRS Dounreay; Fiona Emslie, senior L&D adviser at Highland Council; David Reid, co-founder of Powering Futures and Trudy Morris, chief executive/executive director at North Highland Chamber of Commerce.
During the event a raffle raised £2,040 for three charities chosen by NRS Dounreay: Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance; Mikeysline and Caithness and Sutherland Women's Aid.
As sponsors of the event, UHI Inverness principal Professor Chris O'Neil presented a prize to Dylan Burke, winner of Engineering/Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year.
Winners and Highly Commended:
Foundation Apprentice of the Year
- Winner - Kayla Macrae, Highland Learning Academy
Modern Apprentice of the Year Award Sponsored by NRS Dounreay
- Winner - Kate Thomson, Nuclear Restoration Services Ltd
- Highly Commended to Codie Cargill and Kate Murray
Graduate Apprentice of the Year
- Winner - Kiera Wright , AES Solar
Energy & Utilities Apprentice of the Year
- Winner - Dylan Strachan, AES Solar
Professional Services Apprentice of the Year
- Winner - Molly McCallion, Highland Learning Academy
Engineering / Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year Sponsored by UHI Inverness
- Winner - Dylan Burke, Ri Cruden Limited
Technology & Digital Apprentice of the Year
- Winner - Aliou Faucher, Highland Learning Academy
Construction Apprentice of the Year
- Winner - Kaii Foxcroft, RJ McLeod (Contractors) Ltd
Mentor of the Year
- Winner - Ross Cameron, Walker's Shortbread
Apprentice Ambassador
- Winner - Mike Campbell, Ross-Shire Engineering (RSE)
SME Employer of the Year
- Winner - Ri Cruden Limited
- Highly Commended awarded to AES Solar
Large Employer of the Year
- Winner - Ross-Shire Engineering - Muir of Ord
- Highly Commended awarded to LifeScan Engineering Apprentice
Training Provider/Programme of the Year
- Winner - Business Solutions Team, Inverness College UHI (UHI Inverness)
- Highly Commended awarded to Highland Learning Academy
Read all about the winners and the event coverage in the special digital supplement, and check out the photo gallery.
Issued by the Highlands and Islands Apprenticeship Awards www.hiapprenticeshipawards.co.uk