Trainee from Isle of Skye wins at Lantra awards
Portree apprentice John MacPherson was celebrating recently after winning the Aquaculture category at Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills).
The 23-year-old from the Isle of Skye has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture with Grieg Seafood Shetland Ltd through Inverness College UHI and is now working as an assistant manager. He plans to continue his role at the Isle of Skye site while progressing onto the next level of apprenticeship.
He said: ‘I’d like to thank my employers at Grieg Seafood Shetland Ltd and tutors at Inverness College for all their help and support. To be nominated for an ALBAS award was great but to win it is something else.’
The ALBAS, which took place in Glasgow on March 5, were hosted by farmer and stand-up comedian Jim Smith and organised by Lantra Scotland, the sector skills council for the land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries.
According to Lantra’s Scotland director, Liz Barron-Majerik, the awards are a very effective way of recognising the success of trainees in Scotland’s rural sector, as well as getting employers involved in growing the next generation of talent.
She said: ‘The ALBAS showcase the many incredible people who have joined Scotland’s land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries and who are getting their careers under way. I know our judges were very impressed again with the quality of the nominations, so I would like to congratulate all of the finalists, as well as the winners. They were all of a very high standard indeed.
‘We are, of course, very grateful to have the support of a range of people and organisations who make holding an event like this possible, including our main sponsor Skills Development Scotland, and Aberdeenshire Council, British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association, Elspeth Watson, Equido Horsemanship, Marine Scotland, Royal Highland & Agricultural Society Scotland, Rural Skills Scotland, SAOS, Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre, Scottish Forestry, Scottish Land and
Estates, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Scottish Salmon Company and SRUC.
‘Thanks also to the independent judging panel, which is comprised of: journalist Erika Hay (chairwoman of the panel); Scottish Salmon Company’s Jennifer Allison; vice-president of RHASS Jimmy McLean; learning and development manager with Forestry and Land Scotland Keith Paterson; Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and farmer Keith Redpath; the Scottish Salmon Company’s Lisa Connell; Jane Craigie; marketing team member Rebecca Dawes; and fisheries manager with Stirling Council Fisheries Scott Mason.
www.scotland.lantra.co.uk/learner-year