TOM GREGORY IS SCOTLAND’S TOP CRAFT APPRENTICE
Tom Gregory of Prospero Facilities Services was named Craft Apprentice of the Year in the Scottish HVACR Awards for Outstanding Achievement, during a ceremony held at the headquarters of B&ES Scotland at Bush Estate, Midlothian.
5 February 2014 - Tom, who also came top in this year’s Service and Maintenance Apprentice of the Year category, received his trophy – the David Kettles Cup – from Bruce Bisset, president of the Building & Engineering Services Association.
In introducing the awards, Mr Bisset reminded his audience that the sector had experienced yet another challenging year – so he was pleased to be able to report a small increase in the numbers of apprentices recruited across Scotland “from around 90 last year to 100 this year”.
“I’d like to think that this shows a growing level of confidence among employers, which can only be good news for all of us in building engineering services,” said the president – although he acknowledged that “we certainly won’t be returning to previous levels of employment overnight”.
“As I have said before, it’s going to be a long, slow haul – but one which I know that we, as an industry, have the determination to see through,” Mr Bisset insisted.
The Scottish Government’s target was to deliver 25,000 modern apprenticeships annually – and he confirmed that his sector would be playing its part in this process.
“The young people we are here to honour today represent our future – in terms of innovation, technology, project management and the introduction of new ideas and new ways of working,” he said.
Much had been written about the need to ensure that the construction industry remained entirely fit for purpose, and capable of addressing the challenges that would arise as the UK moved towards a low-carbon future.
This would inevitably involve adapting to changing working practices – in particular, the use of building information modelling (BIM), which would become mandatory on central Government contracts in just over two years’ time.
“As they move forward in their careers, some of today’s winners will undertake further study and progress to managerial posts. Others will want to start their own business. Others again will become ever more skilled craftsmen and technicians,” said Mr Bisset.
“But – whatever their personal ambitions – they must be prepared to assist us in continuously reviewing the shape and structure of the sector and its workforce, and in ensuring that we always do the very best we can, for our customers and clients, and for the built environment,” the president concluded.
The full roll call of winners and runners-up is as follows.
Pipe Fitter Welder Apprentice of the Year: Max Thomas of EMTEC Group Ltd, Uddingston, Glasgow. Runner-up: Ross Donnelly of Bannantyne Ltd, Whitburn, West Lothian.
Pipe Fitter Apprentice of the Year: Lee Cockburn of Taylor & Fraser Ltd, Paisley. Runner-up: Jordan Gilmour of James Frew Ltd, Stevenston, Ayrshire.
Service and Maintenance Apprentice of the Year: Tom Gregory of Prospero Facilities Services, Douglas, Isle of Man. Runner-up: Sinclair Bain of the Orkney Fishermen’s Society, Stromness.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Apprentice of the Year: James Peffers of C&M Environmental Ltd, Balmore, Glasgow. Runner-up: Justin Cahill of KB Refrigeration, Cardonald, Glasgow.
Building Services Technician of the Year: Jordan Butler of RSP Consulting Engineers, Edinburgh. Runner-up: Rory Mortimer of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
The Scottish HVACR Awards for Outstanding Achievement were organised by B&ES subsidiary Building Engineering Services Training (BEST) Scotland.
For more indention about B&ES visit: http://www.b-es.org.
Ends
Issued on behalf of the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) by Next Step Marketing Ltd
Media enquiries to: Heather Lambert. Tel: 44(0)1256 472020;
Fax: 44(0)1256 471010; E-mail: heather@nextstepmarketing.co.uk
Note to Editors
Since its formation in 1904, B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association (formerly the HVCA) has represented the interests of companies engaged in a wide range of building and engineering services disciplines.
B&ES helps its members to build successful businesses by being the leading trade association for integrated building and engineering services and renewable technologies. It is a unifying force that promotes and monitors excellence; provides quality advice, guidance, training and support; generates market-leading thinking; and shapes the commercial environment through active representation.
B&ES members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability, carried out by an independent certification body at least every three years.
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