Andrew is Adult Apprentice of the Year

An Edinburgh-based carpenter and joiner has been named Adult Apprentice of the Year by the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC) at a special ceremony held in the Scottish Parliament.

28 year old Andrew McQuillan (above, left) was nominated for the award by his employer, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, in recognition of his high standards and professionalism, and in particular for having already been trusted to take the lead on a number of projects.

Having recently completed the first year of his Adult apprenticeship, Andrew’s employer praised his problem solving skills and his ability to design complex animal enrichment resources that need to be both aesthetically pleasing and robust. They also commended his ability to understand what is required from an intricate brief and then formulate a clear plan, which has allowed him to excel in his first year.

Now in their 16^th year, the SBATC Apprenticeship Awards are organised by the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC) to recognise the considerable talents, skills and abilities of construction apprentices working across Scotland. The Awards assess candidates according to their practical and academic ability alongside other important skills such as organisation, communication and the ability to perform in a team.

This year’s awards ceremony included the presentation of three other awards. Lewis McKerchar (24), an apprentice plasterer who works for Fife Council, received the prestigious James Birnie Award for Craft Excellence. Dean Morgan (21), an Inverness apprentice ceiling fixer employed by William Gray Construction Ltd, won the Construction Specialist Apprentice of the Year Award and Steven Reid (22), a plant maintenance apprentice with Daviot Farms Ltd also in Inverness, won the Civil Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award.

Commenting on behalf of Andrew’s employer, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Head of Property & Estates Gavin Whigham said: “Andrew has been an inspiration to everyone in his team and we are so pleased he has been named 2015 Adult Apprentice of the Year. He is a true professional and has achieved a great deal during his first year. You can always rely on him to be on hand to help with any task and we’re extremely proud of his commitment to his career.”

SBATC Chairman Gavin Hay said: “Once again, we were struck by the standard of nominations to this years’ SBATC Apprentice of the Year Awards and I would like to congratulate again all of the winners on their achievements and wish them the very best in their careers. These Awards provide a terrific opportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding talents of apprentices working throughout the Scottish construction sector and to recognise the huge commitment and positive contribution they make to the industry.”