Paul Don, a second year Construction Management apprentice with East Dunbartonshire Council has been shortlisted for a UK-wide Award, impressing judges with his commitment and positive attitude.
He has made it to the final stages of the APSE National Apprentice of the Year Awards and will find out next month how he has fared against opposition from across the country.
After being named Student of the Year while achieving his HNC in Building Services Engineering at North Glasgow College, Paul had two university places open to him. Keen to get out into the world of work and put his skills to use, the 21 year old from Bishopbriggs opted instead to take on a four year apprenticeship at the Council.
He said, “I was never sure that full-time education was the right route for me and when I heard about the Council’s Modern Apprenticeship I thought I could enjoy the mix of working, learning on the job and studying – while getting paid of course.
“I have loved my first year and can’t believe the scale and variety of projects I’ve been involved with, including working on flagship projects like new schools and a community centre. My colleagues and bosses are really supportive and it’s great being part of a team. I know I’ve made the right choice and am very excited to be up for this award.”
Council Leader Rhondda Geekie was delighted to hear Paul’s good news. She said, “Paul is a remarkable young man who has thrown himself fully into his new role and everyone who has worked with him has been struck by his positivity and hard work. To be selected from a UK-wide field is no mean feat and I wish him well for the final stages.”
Paul’s success to date is as a result of his determination to succeed despite the challenges he faces, having found out only a few years ago that he has Dyslexia and Meares-Irlen*.
He said, “I had struggled sitting my Standard Grades and Highers and was determined to achieve more. I went onto college and as well as my HNC I tackled higher and Advanced Higher mathematics and physics. I never thought I could do that but it has given me confidence to take on bigger and better challenges.”
Paul follows in the footsteps of Allan Campbell, an apprentice electrician who made the final of the National and Scottish APSE Apprenticeship Awards last year and walked away as runner-up on both occasions.
Councillor Geekie added, “What Paul and Allan have in common is that they looked very carefully at the career choices open to them. Both had good school results and the prospect of a university education in the offing. Both chose an apprenticeship instead. This demonstrates the strength of the programme the Council is offering and these award successes show the calibre of the apprentices. The message is that young people leaving school should be aware of all available routes into the career of their choice.”
* Meares-Irlen Syndrome is a form of visual stress which leads to difficulties with fine vision tasks such as reading. This eye condition was identified in 1980 and although the condition is not yet fully understood, it is known to affect reading ability. The condition affects about 50% of dyslexics.
Follow us on Twitter @EDCouncil or like us on www.facebook.com/edunbartonshirecouncil