Four in a row for Oatridge students
01 March 2008
A 22 year old agricultural engineering apprentice from Saline in Fife (Right) has been named "Landbased Learner of the Year" for 2007 by Lantra, the sector skills council for Scotland. Calum MacLeod's success in taking the top prize in this celebration of talent in the rural industries makes it four-in-a-row for students at Oatridge College in West Lothian.
Calum (Right, above), who works for George Sellar and Son, the agricultural machinery distributors at Newbridge in Edinburgh and studies for his Modern Apprenticeship at Oatridge, also won the prize as Agriculture Learner of Year and Modern Apprentice of the Year. He picked up three trophies and £850 in prize money at a ceremony at the Dunblane Hydro Hotel.
Oatridge's reputation as Scotland's premier landbased College was further enhanced when Daniel McGarrell (Left , above), a 23 year old apprentice greenkeeper from Biggar in Lanarkshire, was named Horticulture Learner of the Year and Scottish Enterprise Learner of the Year. Daniel, who works with South Lanarkshire Council, received two trophies and cheques for £450.
David James, the Principal of Oatridge College, said: "I could not be more proud of our students. We are one of the smallest colleges in Scotland, yet had two of the 11 finalists in the Lantra Awards. The competition gets tougher ever year and on this occasion we were up against almost 70 nominations from colleges all over Scotland.
" To win five awards and to pick up the top prize for the fourth year in succession is simply sensational."
