Apprentices are the future for Fort William sawmill
BSW Timber was abuzz with activity last Monday as they celebrated Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
Playing a starring role was former apprentice Shaun MacLeod who has been helping his employer BSW Timber chop its carbon footprint and potentially save tens of thousands of pounds as it aims to hit net zero – and has even been nominated for a Scottish Apprenticeship Award.
Innovations through a team of apprentices but driven by Shaun through Skills Development Scotland’s Fuel Change Challenge included the idea of introducing a new electric powered mobile side-loader plant to the mill in Fort William.
The initiatives explored by the 21-year-old and his team offered new ways of working and could potentially deliver annual savings of £400,000 a year for the timber mill with the added opportunity to cut carbon emissions by thousands of tonnes per year.
Shaun began his Modern Apprenticeship in Electrical Control Systems straight from school with BSW Timber and completed his apprenticeship in November 2021.
‘Technically I really progressed my learning in electrical and mechanical areas and my understanding of industrial manufacturing through my apprenticeship,’ he said.
‘My apprenticeship has also helped me massively with my personal skills, my confidence, and being able to communicate with others.’
Shaun’s innovative business solution was borne from participating in the Fuel Change Challenge, which is a low carbon innovation challenge open to apprentices across Scotland.
The positive experience he gained through Fuel Change has led him to support others participating in other projects in BSW and with local community projects also.
Shaun explained: ‘I’m currently in a mentor role for the younger apprentices who are going through the Fuel Change Challenge and so this has helped with my leadership skills.’
Last week Kate Forbes MSP dropped by to congratulate Shaun and to find out more about BSW’s efforts over the years in recruiting, training and managing to keep apprentices in employment.
Mill manager Oliver Stephen said: ‘The visit was great and gave Kate the opportunity to hear first-hand from Shaun, Jamie Duncan (third year saw doctor apprentice) and Ryan Boyle (fourth year mechanical apprentice) on what they do day to day in the mill.
‘It’s great to have these sort of visits from people like the cabinet secretary as it gives us the opportunity to showcase what we are all about and discuss future growth plans.
BSW have taken on 25 apprentices in 10 years and still have 22 working for them. Mr Steven believes that they, along with the Fuel Change Challenge, have benefited the business greatly.
‘Last year we had a group of three apprentices join the Fuel Change Challenge and they came up with several ideas to help the business internally and improve our carbon footprint,’ he added.
‘Some of these have come forward such as a combined heat and power plant on site, which we are looking at.
‘The benefits of taking part go much further than helping the business as it engaged young people and enabled them to influence their colleagues by coming forward with different ideas about ways of doing things, which has been a very positive experience.’