Clackmannanshire Apprentice Praised at National Awards
Published on:
11
March 2008
Darren Hammond, a second year apprentice joiner with Clackmannanshire Council, was a finalist in the prestigious APSE Apprentice of the Year Award.
The awards were held last month as part of the APSE Scottish Housing and Building Seminar at Peebles Hydro.
While Darren (18) did not win the overall award, he was highly praised by the judging panel and presented with a trophy.
You are invited to send a photographer to the Council Chambers, Greenfield House, Alloa, at 10.20am on Thursday 13th March when a presentation will be made to Darren by Councillor Eddie Carrick prior to the at the start of the Council meeting.
The Apprentice of the Year Awards was established 12 years ago and receives a higher number of entries every year with the standard of submissions also rising annually.
The Council's Property Contracts selected Darren Hammond, who at the time was a first year apprentice joiner, as our representative for the awards and submitted a comprehensive portfolio on Darren's first year, to APSE's scrutiny panel.
Darren was then visited in the workplace and interviewed 'on the job' by a representative of the main sponsor, Hays Montrose. He was chosen as one of the finalists and was interviewed again by the scrutiny panel at the seminar in Peebles.
Darren was highly praised by the panel and was presented with an award at the ceremony, which was also attended by his parents. Clackmannanshire Council was also presented with an award for "Excellence in Training Standards" and commended for continuing to invest in the Apprentice Training Programme.
Darren, is from Causewayhead had attended Wallace High School where he gained a Credit 1 at Standard Grade Craft & Design. Darren also gained enough Highers to gain entry to university but was committed to becoming a tradesman and joined the Council's Apprentice Training Programme.
He currently attends Forth Valley College (Clackmannan Campus) for Scotvec Level III Carpenter & Joiner and was selected to represent the college at the Annual Carpenter and Joiner Competition in 2007.
Away from work Darren is a keen footballer and is the goalkeeper for an U19 youth team. He is also teaching himself to play guitar.
Darren's aim is to attain the Advanced Craft Certificate in Joinery and pass the Skills Test to become a fully qualified joiner.
