The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Women take top honours at Angus College’s annual awards
Education: Hard work pays off for trio and gets careers off to encouraging start
Women swept the board at the Angus and Dundee College awards ceremony as three former students lifted prestigious awards.
Ellie Stephen from Montrose has been announced as the winner of this year’s SQA award, while Stephenie Barron from Auchenblae and Michelle Rose, also from Angus, jointly shared the NPA Joiner C Group award.
Ellie, 19, studied for a Modern Apprenticeship in Life Sciences at the Kingsway campus while completing her three-year apprenticeship at GSK Montrose in the quality laboratory.
Course lecturers nominated Ellie for the SQA award because they believed she showed amazing determination and commitment to complete her modern apprenticeship to an extremely high standard.
She said: “I felt that all my challenging work and effort was worth it in the end.
“I hope that I will be continuing to use all my knowledge and skills gained from GSK and my science course to carry on working in the pharmaceutical industry.
“I am grateful to be working in a job that I find very interesting while knowing I am helping others at the end of the supply chain.”
Meanwhile, the NPA Joiner C Group Award was so hotly contested that it was decided it should be shared this year between Stephenie and Michelle at the prizegiving ceremony at the Webster Memorial Theatre in Arbroath.
Lecturer Steve Rennie said: “I have never met two young people more dedicated and passionate about pursuing their goal of becoming apprentice joiners.
“During the course year the input and standard of practical and theory work has been first class.”
Stephenie, 17, found her passion for woodwork during classes at school and felt joinery was an obvious career choice.
“I’ve learned all sorts of things, from using hand and power tools to the different joints you get plus drawing and employability skills,” she said
Michelle, also 17, said: “I love working with my hands and one of my hobbies is building model Airfix kits.”
As well as completing their course work making a door and window, fitting skirtings and facings, the students volunteered to work on local community projects.
Now both are keen to get apprenticeships so they can continue taking steps towards their future careers.
jimillar@thecourier.co.uk
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I’ve learned all sorts of things, from using hand and power tools to the different joints you get plus drawing and employability skills. STEPHENIE BARRON