Stornoway Modern Apprentice (MA) Innes McKenzie won a top award as he and his classmates completed the second year of an innovative Forth Valley College and FES FM partnership training programme.
Building Services and Maintenance MA Innes and his nine classmates have been working with the successful Stirling based firm, and attending the state-of-the-art training facilities at the Alloa Campus.
Innes (20) from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides was presented with a high specification cordless drill by Brian Brown FES FM’s Regional Director on Tuesday 8 November, after being chosen as the best performing MA of the Year. Fellow MA Daniel Fawcett (20) from Leeds was presented with a runner’s up prize by VIP guest Iain McCaskey Head of Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Innes said: “I am very pleased to have won this prize. It shows that all my hard work has paid off. I really do enjoy it here working for FES FM and the training at the FVC Alloa Campus as there is a variety of things to learn and it opens doors to so many other opportunities. I would highly recommend this training programme to anyone.”
Brian Brown FES FM’s Regional Director, said: “I am very proud of Innes and the group who have all completed the second year of their training and I am looking forward to seeing them progress through to becoming full tradesmen with FES FM.
“We only have positive things to say about our relationship with Forth Valley College and the quality of the facilities and lecturers at the Alloa Campus, where the Training Centre funded by FES FM is based. We are excited about the future and look forward to strengthening our relationship in the coming years.”
Bill Hamilton a Curriculum Manager in Forth Valley College’s Department of Construction, said: “Congratulations go to Innes on winning FES FM MA of the Year and to all those who have completed their second year on the FES FM MA Programme. These talented students are pioneers in this field and we are very proud of what they have achieved so far and hopefully they will continue this good work over the next few years.
“We are delighted to be working with FES FM and we look forward to this relationship continuing and perhaps developing more courses and creating employment opportunities across the Forth Valley area.”
Iain McCaskey, Head of BESA Scotland and BESA Northern Ireland, said: “We fully support this partnership and see the progression with 1st Class apprentices from all areas of Scotland.”
The partnership between the College and FES FM created a new fully equipped Facilities Management National Training Centre to train up to 12 MAs – at least six of which will be from the Forth Valley area - to SVQ level 3 standard over four years.