Three trainee tradesmen in Aberdeen City Council's building services department have been shortlisted for prizes in the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Apprentice Awards.

Painter and decorator Stuart McKenzie (24), plumber Chris Black (23) and lift engineer Chris Stoddart (18) will find out if they have been successful at a ceremony in Peebles later this month.

Andrew Grant (23) and Robert Burr (47), both painter and decorators, were also put forward for the awards but narrowly missed out on nominations.

The APSE Apprentice Awards are designed to give recognition to the UK's future tradespersons and also to the councils which continue to invest in and provide first class training and employment through modern apprenticeship schemes.

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Aberdeen City Council apprentice mentor Douglas Gibb said one of the reasons he chose the five apprentices was that they all won awards at their local colleges.

Stuart McKenzie was named advanced craft painting and decorating apprentice of the year at Aberdeen College. Chris Black was the 1st year apprentice plumber of the year at Tullos Training College. Chris Stoddart was 1st year electrical apprentice of the year at Tullos and runner-up in the overall apprentice of the year category. Andrew Grant was named 1st year painting and decorating apprentice of the year at Aberdeen College and Robert Burr was named advanced craft painting and decorating apprentice of the year at Angus College.

Mr Gibb said: "The apprentices had to go through a rigorous application process before the nominations were announced. They had to present a portfolio to the APSE judges which included a 500-word essay on why they wanted to be a tradesman. They also had to submit college work, college reports and diary entries which detailed up to 10 jobs they have completed in the past year.

"All the nominated apprentices this year produced a high standard of work at college and in the workplace and these are the type of apprentices we want to continue working for Aberdeen City Council."

Mr Gibb is hopeful the apprentices will follow in the footsteps of Stephanie Wright, an Aberdeen City Council painter who triumphed at last year's awards.

Winners will be announced on Thursday 16 February.

(GK)