East Kilbride plasterer Kenny McAllister has been crowned Scotland’s Craft Apprentice of the Year for 2011 at a special ceremony at the Scottish Parliament.

Hosted by Angus North and Mearns MSP and Convener of the Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Construction Nigel Don, the event was attended by an invited audience of MSPs and leading industry representatives, as well as the shortlisted award candidates and their employers.

Now in its twelfth year, the SBATC Apprenticeship Awards scheme is unique in recognising the talents of Scottish construction apprentices working in the traditional craft trades such as joinery, plastering and bricklaying.

Traditionally, the scheme has recognised winners in two distinct categories: Apprentice of the Year and Adult Apprentice of the Year. However, this year sees the introduction of a new award for Civil Apprentice of the Year, recognising excellence in civil engineering.

The Awards were the brainchild of James Birnie MBE, who worked in the industry for a good number of years, is a Past President of the Scottish Building Federation, and was honoured with the MBE in 1999 in recognition of his services to working conditions for the industry as a whole. Run by the Scottish Building Apprentice and Training Council (SBATC), the Awards assess candidates according to their practical and theoretical craft abilities alongside other important skills such as organisation, communication and the ability to perform as a team player.

This year’s Apprentice of the Year and winner of the James Birnie Award for Craft Excellence, twenty-one-year-old Kenny McAllister, is currently undertaking a four-year apprenticeship in plastering with Brian MacPlastering in East Kilbride and attends South Lanarkshire College.

Kenny was awarded the title in recognition of his outstanding natural ability for the plastering trade, particularly in specialist areas such as plaster mould repair work.

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Earlier this year, Kenny won the gold medal at the UK final of Skillbuild in Leeds, the third year in a row that he has represented his college in the competition. His successes have also earned him invitations to attend World Skills and the annual gathering of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers.

Runner-up in the Apprentice of the Year category was Shaun Dempsey, a twenty-one-year old apprentice in roof slating and tiling with City Building in Glasgow while Gavin Dunbar, a Carpentry and Joinery apprentice with Strathaven-based McCluskey Joinery Ltd., came third.

Taking home the title of 2011 SBATC Adult Apprentice of the Year was Dominic Clutterbuck, an apprentice joiner with Bancon Construction, based at Crathes in Aberdeenshire. A past winner of the Aberdeen College Apprentice of the Year Award, Dominic (28) began an adult apprenticeship in joinery in August 2009, having previously completed an HND in Furniture, Design & Make.

Derek Main (40), an apprentice stonemason employed by Gillies Masonry of Stirling, came second in the Adult Apprentice category, while John McCluskey (46), a second-year joinery apprentice employed by South Lanarkshire Council was third.

Claiming this year’s brand new award for SBATC Civil Apprentice of the Year was Jamie Nicholas from Inverness, who is employed by Morrison Construction. One of only two individuals in the whole of Scotland to be awarded the Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) QUEST Scholarship, Jamie is a student of Inverness College and continues to work towards a professional qualification with the ICE.

Runner-up in the Civil Apprentice category was Glasgow-based City Building employee Marcello Corolla, while Graham Bryce, a fourth-year apprentice with Muir Construction Limited, came third.

Commenting on the 2011 Awards, Michael Levack, Scottish Building Federation Chief Executive and Employers’ Secretary for the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC), said: "My congratulations to the winners and to all of the shortlisted candidates for this year’s SBATC Apprenticeship Awards. With unemployment rising – particularly amongst young people – it is more important than ever that we pay tribute to the outstanding contribution apprentices the length and breadth of Scotland continue to make to the construction industry. As our industry works its way back to recovery, their hard work and dedication give us real hope for the future."

Local constituency MSP for East Kilbride, Linda Fabiani, personally congratulated her constituent Kenny McAllister on winning the 2011 Apprentice of the Year Award: "I’m truly delighted for Kenny. He is a real credit to Brian MacPlastering, to his trade, and to East Kilbride. His achievements are particularly impressive when you consider he is only twenty-one years of age. I wish him the very best of luck with successfully completing his apprenticeship. I am confident his future career in plastering will go from strength to strength."

Ceremony host Nigel Don MSP commented: "MSPs from across all political parties are committed to nurturing and promoting apprenticeship opportunities in the traditional craft trades in Scotland, and throughout the construction industry. I’m therefore delighted to have been able to host this year’s awards ceremony here in the Parliament – and to witness the wealth of skill and talent demonstrated by the winners, and by all those shortlisted for an award. Congratulations to all of them."

(GK)