Gillies & Mackay’s Arran Ramsay-King receives both Best in Class and Apprentice of the Year at Forth Valley College’s 2026 Apprenticeship Awards

What a day! A couple of weeks ago, Morv, Arran and I got to take a wee trip out to Stirling, invited there by Arran’s Student Coordinator Irene, with a slightly excited tone 😉

Arran had already won his best in class, that was announced to him at the end of their Term, however the Apprentice of the Year was yet to be known.

Now, if you know me. I’m all about the winning of Awards and I’ll flip tables otherwise, but this day was about Arran and his journey.

It’s rare for me, to get a moment and fully appreciate the work that I actually enjoy, which is leading. I want nothing more than happiness for my people and seeing them grow in confidence – especially Arran. It’s a big deal.

On 23rd June, I had the privilege of sitting beside Arran and his fiancée (ooooh), Morven, at Forth Valley College’s annual Apprenticeship Awards. We were there to celebrate the end of Arran’s first year on his Fast Track Adult Modern Apprenticeship in Carpentry & Joinery.

Now, if you know Arran, you’ll know he’s not one for the spotlight.

He’s a bit shy in a crowd.
He’s humble.
He’s the type of person who would rather let his work do the talking than ever tell you how good he is.

Which is probably why watching him walk across that stage twice was so special.

First came; Best in Class.

Then came the announcement that none of us were expecting… (except me, I knew he’d win it, I wouldn’t risk turning up otherwise)

Apprentice of the Year.

Not just the best in his class. The best across the entire year group. As his name was called out, Morven and I were welling up, maybe it was the champagne on the train, or maybe it was because we knew Arran bloody deserves this.

I couldn’t say for certain but I’m pretty sure Gareth Alexander, Arran’s lecturer, had a wee tear himself 😉

This recognition didn’t happen by chance.

Over the past year, Arran has balanced a full-time role here at Gillies & Mackay with the demands of college, assignments and practical assessments. He never complained. He never looked for an easy way through. He simply got his head down and got on with it, the same way he approaches everything else in life.

As his employer, it’s easy for me to talk about the standard of his workmanship because I’ve watched it develop over the last five years. Long before he became an apprentice, Arran had already become one of the people we relied on most. He’s calm under pressure, meticulous in his craft and always willing to step in when someone needs a hand.

That’s the Arran we know at Gillies & Mackay.

But this year gave him something different.

It gave him the opportunity to prove it to himself.

I also want to recognise the people at Forth Valley College who have played such a huge part in this journey.

From the very beginning, Irene Kane worked tirelessly with us to find an apprenticeship model that suited a small manufacturing business like ours. Traditional block release simply wasn’t an option for a performing employee like Arran, but Irene never stopped looking for a solution.

As well as Gareth.

As leaders, we all know the difference one person can make in someone’s confidence.

Gareth saw Arran’s potential, encouraged him, challenged him and celebrated his progress every step of the way. Education isn’t just about teaching a curriculum. It’s about helping people discover what they’re capable of, and Gareth has done exactly that.

To everyone at Forth Valley College, thank you for believing in adult apprenticeships and for creating an environment where people like Arran can thrive. Arran’s paved the way for the Junior Joiners of the future and I’m so grateful to have a working partnership with Forth Valley.

Arran came to us as a young man looking for an opportunity.

Over the years, he’s grown into an exceptional craftsman, a trusted colleague and someone who quietly leads by example every single day. The qualification is important. The awards are extra special! But the confidence he’s found along the way means even more. Watching someone you believed in grow into someone who believes in themselves is one of the greatest privileges of leadership.

And of course, no celebration with us would ever be complete without doing something to remember it by. So after the ceremony, Arran, Morven and I did what any perfectly sensible people would do…

We went and got matching tattoos.

Congratulations, Arran.

Best in Class.

Apprentice of the Year.

Two awards that recognise what we’ve known for a long time., you deserve every single bit of it.

I can’t wait to see what your second year brings.