SELECT has honoured "unsung hero" of the electrical industry, Alick Smith, with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of "his remarkable contribution to the sector".

The honour was presented to 'association stalwart' at SELECT's second President's Lunch, sponsored by Electrium, at the voco® Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.

After starting out as an electrical apprentice in the 1960s, Alick has enjoyed a long and distinguished career and in recent years has played a key role at SELECT as lead negotiator in wage discussions with the industry trade union, Unite.

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Announcing the award, Fiona Harper, Director of Employment & Skills at SELECT, said: "Alick is the true definition of what I would call an unsung hero. Over the years, he has done a great deal of work on behalf of our industry, quietly and efficiently, never seeking the limelight and rarely receiving the recognition he deserves.

"I have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with Alick, travelling thousands of miles and consuming vast amounts of black coffee. He is a fantastic ambassador for our industry who is always on hand to offer support and guidance with a quiet, discreet, yet totally significant word.

"He is also immensely proud to be an electrician and being part of what he describe as a vibrant and exciting trade, and especially enjoys spending time with the apprentices and future electricians who, in his opinion, society cannot live without."

Ms Harper added: "Working with Alick has been a delight. I admire his tenacity and dedication, instinctive understanding of employee relations and pure love for our industry and the people in it. But most of all, he makes me smile."