Orkney carpentry firm up for apprenticeship award

A Burray-based carpentry firm has reached the finals of the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards.

Leo Kerr of Kerr Carpentry will be heading down to Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery for the Awards on November 16.

The master craftsman is hoping for a win in the Micro Employer of the Year category. The former apprentice, who learned his trade from his father Colin, currently has a workforce of four.

The company creates hand-crafted contemporary furniture and provides specialist joinery and property renovation services.

Leo sees apprenticeships as an important part of his business. He said: “Apprenticeships mean you can train people the way you want to, so they can do things to the standard and quality you would expect. That’s the good thing about teaching someone.”

He also believes it is essential to give people time to learn their skills and for the longevity of his company.

The Scottish Apprenticeship Awards are organised by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in partnership with Arnold Clark.

SDS Chief Executive Damien Yeates said: “This year we had a record number of entries for the Awards and the calibre of the finalists is quite simply outstanding. Employers like Kerr Carpentry are tremendous examples of the success of apprenticeship training and it is great to see their personal and professional commitment to work-based learning being recognised in this way. I want to wish Leo and everyone at Kerr Carpentry the very best for the Awards.”

Arnold Clark Apprentice Recruitment Manager Suzanne Sherry said: “Arnold Clark has always understood the value of apprenticeships and the importance of nurturing young talent. This year our apprenticeship programme is bigger than ever, with over 300 vacancies in the company. As part of that commitment, we’re delighted to sponsor the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards. It’s so inspiring to see how dedicated employers are to apprenticeships and how many hardworking young people benefit from the apprenticeship journey, going on to have long and successful careers in a variety of different industries. They really are the future workforce of Scotland.”