Different strokes lead to competition success

Different strokes lead to competition success
Different strokes lead to competition success

Forth Valley College is bristling with talented painting and decorating Modern Apprentices (MAs) – and that’s official.

Callum Bonner (18) from Tullibody and Kyle Cooper (18) from Auchterarder finished first and second respectively in the SkillBuild Scottish heat at South Lanarkshire College on Tuesday 17 May.

While a FVC team consisting of Scott Inglis (19) from Bannockburn, who works as an MA with Morton and Sullivan and Jamie Love (19) from Whitburn, who is an MA with West Lothian Council, finished third in a Scottish Association of Painting Craft Teachers on Thursday 26 May at the College’s Falkirk Campus.

Callum – who is a second year MA who works with Clackmannanshire Council – said: “I am really happy to have won. It was quite hard to start with during the competition, but once I got into it I really quite enjoyed it. The college prepared us really well and the skills we are learning here really help in competition and in the workplace. it was a great experience to take part.”

Kyle – who is a first year MA working with the Gleneagles Hotel – added: “Once we worked out the measurements it was pretty straightforward and I started to enjoy myself. The tutors at the college really prepared us well and I would recommend the college to anyone.”

FVC Painting and Decorating Lecturer Graeme Williamson, said:

“There is a lot of talent amongst our painting and decorating MAs and this has been proven with this success in two recent competitions.

“Callum and Kyle done fantastically well in the SkillBuild competition and I am very proud of them both. It was particularly pleasing for me to go with them to South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride where I was a lecturer for 12 years and see them do so well.

“We only entered Scott and Jamie in the Scottish Association of Painting Craft Teachers event for a wee bit of experience as they are just first years, but they went ahead and finished third. They did really, really well and we are very pleased with them as we did not expect them to finish in the top three.”

Danny Houston a Curriculum Manager in the Construction Department, said: “These are fantastic performances from our painting and decorating MAs and we are delighted they are progressing so well and learning the skills which will make them successful not only in competition, but in their careers.”