News release issued by Scottish Enterprise

The winners of the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards 2006 were announced last night (Thursday, 12 October 2006).

The prestigious awards ceremony showcased apprentices, training providers, colleges and employers who have demonstrated initiative, enterprise and outstanding commitment in a range of categories. Television star Stephen Jardine hosted the awards which were held in the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh and the winners were congratulated by Robert Brown, the Deputy Minister for Education and Young People.

The Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards 2006 are a celebration of the high standards being achieved by the many apprentices, training providers, colleges and employers involved in Modern Apprenticeships. The event attracted an audience of more than 300 guests from across the Scottish business community.

Modern Apprenticeships combine paid employment with the opportunity to train for jobs at craft, technician and management level. In Scotland, they are managed by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The winners of the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards 2006 are:

• Apprentice achievement: Continued personal development - John-Robert Eunson, BP UK, Lerwick
• Apprentice achievement: Overcoming the odds - Jamie Abbot, Fife Council, Cowdenbeath
• Employee Achievement - Gordon Leitch, Motherwell College
• Employers (small) - West Lothian Golf Club, Linlithgow
• Employers (medium) - HRM Homecare Services, Prestwick
• Employers (large) - BAE Systems, Glasgow
• Training Providers - Training Matters, Glasgow
• Partnership - Motherwell College and MacDonald Hotels

Shetlander John-Robert Eunson went on to win an Overall Achievement award for his dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to his personal development through his Modern Apprentice in mechanical engineering.

Charlene O'Connor, senior director of skills and learning, Scottish Enterprise, said:

"I would like to congratulate all of last night's winners. They have shown significant commitment to the MA programme and have achieved great success in their personal and business development.

"Modern Apprenticeships continue to go from strength to strength in Scotland. Apprentices bring real benefits to today's workplace, with close to eighty per cent of businesses who employ MAs saying that they have seen improvements in their productivity as a result of the programme."

Alex Paterson, director of developing skills at Highlands and Islands Enterprise congratulated all the winners on their achievements and their commitment to the MA programme. He said: "Modern Apprenticeships are firmly established as an important part of the skills landscape in Scotland. They play a vital role by offering people the chance to work in a real job, earning a decent wage, while learning a skill and gaining a recognised qualification."

The Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards 2006 are sponsored by the Daily Record, Sunday Mail, Learndirect Scotland, the SQA and SSDA.