Scottish Apprenticeship Awards

Louise’s childhood passion for aircraft took off – now her aerospace career is soaring thanks to a Modern Apprenticeship! 

The 22-year-old overhauls aircraft engines as part of her role at GE Caledonian. Louise also believes it’s important to help other young people get into aerospace, especially women! As a STEM ambassador, she’s spent many hours volunteering in schools.  

Kilmarnock-based Louise has made links with women’s charities to raise awareness of societal issues in Ayrshire. Louise also invited South Ayrshire Women’s Aid to deliver training to GE staff.  

Outside of work, Louise still loves travelling by plane. The talented engineer now has the added excitement of boarding an aircraft that powers itself using the same engines she works on. 

Inspired by his parents’ social work careers, Dumbarton’s Kaleb Mbise chose a Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services: Children and Young People. He’s now landed his dream role as a childcare practitioner.

The 17-year-old knew how to work with young people, having volunteered at a youth café. As expected, Kaleb loved his work placement at Bellsmyre Early Education Centre in Dumbarton.

Afterwards, Kaleb progressed straight into a Modern Apprenticeship. He’s now thriving in his new role at the Andrew Cameron Early Learning and Childcare Centre.

Kaleb said, ‘The Foundation Apprenticeship gave me a real insight into childcare and confirmed it was something I wanted to do.’

Dedicated Mia Walker brings passion and personality to her job at Auchrannie Resort. Although, she overcame challenges to achieve her apprenticeship.

The 21-year-old was initially shy and quiet during work experience at Auchrannie. Mia had struggled at school due to her dyslexia and wasn’t sure if further education was an option.

But Mia’s colleagues encouraged her to apply for a Modern Apprenticeship in Hospitality Services. Since then, she hasn’t looked back. Mia’s managers say she embraces new opportunities, does training in her own time and is a key team member.

Brodick-based Mia said, ‘The Modern Apprenticeship has boosted my confidence and helped me develop skills.’

The sky’s the limit for aerospace employee Louise Collins! The Modern Apprentice is helping her business save millions and boost productivity.   

Louise is an overhaul engineer at GE Aerospace. This means she works as part of a team that focusses on all aspects of jet engines – from repairs to cleaning. 

And Ayrshire's Louise has impressed executives at a global level. She earned praise as her process improvement team initiated over $1 million in annual savings by streamlining waste management processes. This reduced delivery turnaround by 12 days.  

Louise said, ‘My confidence has skyrocketed – this apprenticeship has given me so much.’ 

Computer whizz Stephanie Burgoyne helped 400,000 people access the Scottish Winter Heating Payment.

The Graduate Apprentice works as an Assistant Release and Configuration Manager at tech giants, IBM. This means she’s responsible for the performance of one of its social security accounts. When processing the Winter Heating Payments, Stephanie oversaw transactions worth more than £20 million.

Stephanie had no previous tech experience when she applied for the Graduate Apprenticeship in IT: Management for Business. The 19-year-old has fast-tracked her way to success.

Falkirk-based Stephanie said, ‘Having hands-on experience through a Graduate Apprenticeship gives you a head start in your career.’

Paisley’s Cameron Clark is already seeing his work with Scottish Water reduce carbon emissions!

The Modern Apprentice played a key role in the installation of 1,100 solar panels near Falkirk. Cameron’s efforts paid off as the scheme now generates 0.64 GWh each year, cutting 84 tonnes of carbon emissions.

In 12 months, Cameron has become a valued member of Scottish Water’s team. In fact, he’s hailed as a future leader in the fight against climate change. Cameron champions biodiversity and makes sure wildlife protection is factored into every task.

The 24-year-old said, ‘Leading on projects through my Modern Apprenticeship has helped my confidence, planning and communication.’

Apprentices are a great fit at ACS – a pioneering Scottish sustainability leader.

The Lanarkshire-based company is Europe’s largest eco-friendly fashion hub. They enable brands and retailers to adopt a circular economy – helping clothes stay out of landfill and in wardrobes for longer.

Michael Cusack, Chief Sustainability Officer at ACS, thinks apprenticeships are vital. He said, ‘We aim to nurture a generation of skilled and environmentally conscious professionals.’

ACS’s huge headquarters in Motherwell processes six million garments every year. They work with big brands like H&M and The North Face to restore clothes that can be resold or rented.

BAE Systems’ multi-million-pound investment will help them further develop Scotland's apprenticeship landscape. 

The Glasgow-based shipbuilder already supports 600 Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprentices. And BAE plans to recruit an additional 850 apprentices, amid skills shortages in the UK shipbuilding industry. 

This extra investment comes as BAE prepares to power the construction of eight Type 26 frigates. Every apprentice taken on to meet this demand is guaranteed a permanent role when they qualify. These apprentices will help safeguard national security, while bolstering Scotland’s economy. 

Phil Brown, BAE’s Head of Early Careers, said, ‘Apprentices are invaluable. Without them, we can’t build the ships that support the nation’s security.’ 

Direct Partners is transforming lives and launching careers with its tailored support programme.

The Edinburgh-based learning provider is training more than 120 Modern Apprentices. Since 2016, they’ve supported 590 apprentices as they launched their careers.

Founder of Direct Partners, Debra Tracy, said, ‘We don’t just offer training. We craft futures, focusing on skills valued by employers.'

Direct Partners empowers learners through a pre-employment programme. Partners, such as the Department for Work and Pensions, helped shape the programme. It offers learners two weeks of industry training, followed by a guaranteed interview.

Debra added, ‘The learning from apprenticeships is gold standard. It’s a phenomenal way to develop your career.’