Fife Council Plasterer Is Best In Scotland

A 24 year old plasterer from Fife has been named Apprentice of the Year at the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council's 2015 Apprenticeship Awards.

 
Now in the third year of his apprenticeship with Fife Council, Lewis McKerchar received the prestigious James Birnie award for Craft Excellence at a special ceremony in the Scottish Parliament.
 
Lewis, who is currently studying for an Advanced Certificate in Plastering at Edinburgh College, was nominated for the award by his employer, Fife Council, in recognition of his tremendous enthusiasm, professionalism and outstanding quality of work. Lewis is following in the footsteps of his own grandfather, who worked for many years as a plasterer to trade before retiring.
 
The James Birnie Award for Craft Excellence recognises the talents of Scotland's traditional craft apprentices undertaking any of the four year SVQ level 3 programmes. It is the only dedicated award that recognises excellence in apprenticeships in the traditional building craft trades in Scotland.
 
Lewis's employer praised his ability to apply knowledge, skills, and theory to complex projects in historical buildings and said he has shown the confidence required to succeed within his trade. The prestigious award will join a number of others Lewis has won since he began his apprenticeship, including Fife Council’s 2014 1st Year Apprentice of the Year Award, Fife Council’s 2015 2nd Year Apprentice of the Year Award, and the 2015 Award for Best 2nd Year Plastering Student at Edinburgh College.
 
Now in their 16th year, the SBATC Apprenticeship Awards are organised by the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC) to recognise the considerable talents, skills and abilities of construction apprentices working across Scotland. The Awards assess candidates according to their practical and academic ability alongside other important skills such as organisation, communication and the ability to perform in a team.