The achievements of Scotland’s top land-based and aquaculture trainees were celebrated last night (Thursday 9th March) at Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills) in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dunblane Hydro.
Over 230 finalists, event supporters, employers, training providers and industry leaders were in attendance, including Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon. After an opening address by the Cabinet Secretary, social media star and sheep farmer Cammy Wilson presented winners and runners-up with industry awards for agriculture, aquaculture, equine, game and wildlife, horticulture, land-based engineering and trees and timber.
As well as an Overall Winner, Runner-up and Modern Apprentice of the Year, there were also categories for Higher Education, School Pupil and Secondary Schools, CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies), a Mentor award for inspirational tutor, the Tam Tod Trophy and the Anna Murray Award for Partnership Working.
The winners and runners-up for ALBAS 2023 were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the land-based and aquaculture sector, chaired by Keith Paterson of Forestry and Land Scotland.
One of the highlights of the evening was agriculture trainee Nia Hunter receiving the Overall Winner Award, the highest accolade of the night. Nia also became the Modern Apprentice of the Year, Agriculture Learner of the Year and won a CARAS award.
Nia from Weisdale in Shetland has been doing an SVQ in Agriculture through UHI Shetland, while working as an Apprentice Farmer for A & D Hunter at Scatsta Farm.
She said: “To be chosen as overall winner is an incredible and humbling experience. A big thank you to my tutors at UHI Shetland, my employers at A & D Hunter, my family and everyone who has helped me along the way.”
Overall Runner-up was horticulture apprentice Brodie Linklater, who also won the Horticulture Learner of the Year category. Brodie from Aberlour in Moray has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Horticulture through UHI Moray, while working as an Apprentice Gardener at The Macallan Distillery in Aberlour.
She said: ““It’s been a great evening, and to be selected as Overall Runner-up and horticulture learner of the year is the best feeling. A big thanks to The Macallan Distillery and UHI Moray for showing faith in me and providing an opportunity to begin my career in horticulture. I can’t wait for the next chapter.”
The winners of the prestigious CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies) awards were Nia Hunter and Naomi Ramsay. Naomi from East Lothian has been doing an HND in Agriculture through SRUC Oatridge. CARAS awards were established by the UK’s four national agricultural societies, including the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) to recognise distinguished achievements in agriculture and related land-based industries.
RHASS also supports a Secondary Schools Award in recognition of schools with exceptional standards in rural skills training. This year the award was won by Bertha Park High School in Perth with Clackmannanshire Schools Support Services as Runner-up. Bertha Park High School and pupils have been developing outdoor spaces through a variety of soft landscaping and gardening tasks as part of their Rural Skills: Skills for Work course.
The Anna Murray Partnership Working Award went to ADHD Rural Connect. This is an education outreach programme for young people with ADHD, run in partnership between Countryside Learning Scotland (CLS), Perth & Kinross ADHD Support Group and Perth Grammar School.
Runner-up was Working with Rivers, a partnership brought together by NatureScot involving 14 employers from across riparian management sectors which provided 20 trainees with three-month placements to work on river restoration and habitat management.
The Higher Education Learner of the Year for SCQF Level 7 (HNC) winner was Felix Meister from Edinburgh, while the Higher Education Learner of the Year for SCQF Level 8 (HND) winner was agriculture trainee Naomi Ramsay. Felix has been doing an HNC in Game & Wildlife Management through Borders College, while working as a Supply Research Assistant for the GWCT in Scotland.
The Tam Tod Trophy went to Stewart MacDonald. This award is made in association with Countryside Learning Scotland to an outstanding young learner and was created in memory of the late Tam Tod, described as a well-loved gamekeeper, ghillie and lifelong friend of the countryside.
Other prizes on the night included the Lantra Mentor Award for most inspirational tutor won by Drew Easton of Jas P Wilson and the School Pupil Award won by Robert McGee through Dundee and Angus College.
ALBAS 2023 winners and runners-up:
ALBAS Overall Winner
Nia Hunter
ALBAS Overall Runner-up
Brodie Linklater
Agriculture Learner of the Year
Winner: Nia Hunter
Runner-up: Jack Forsyth
Aquaculture Learner of the Year
Winner: Craig Johnstone
Runner-up: Lori Smith
Equine Learner of the Year
Winner: Lara Fell
Runner-up: Victoria McKigen
Game and Wildlife Management Learner of the Year
Winner: Jon O’Connor
Runner-up: Charles Arrindell
Horticulture Learner of the Year
Winner: Brodie Linklater
Runner-up: Shannon Leask
Land-based Learner of the Year
Winner: Danny Cook
Runner-up: Max Morrison
Trees and Timber Learner of the Year
Winner: Hannah Munro
Runner-up: Cameron Murray
CARAS Awards
Nia Hunter
Naomi Ramsay
School Pupil Award NPA Skills for Work
Robert McGee
Secondary Schools Award:
Winner Bertha Park High School
Runner-up Clackmannanshire Schools Support Services
Higher Education Learner of the Year:
Higher Education Learner of the Year for SCQF Level 7
SCQF Level 7 (HNC) Felix Meister
Higher Education Learner of the Year for SCQF Level 8
SCQF Level 8 (HND) Naomi Ramsay
Anna Murray Award for Partnership Working
Winner: ADHD Rural Connect.
Runner-up: Working with Rivers.
Tam Tod Trophy
Stewart MacDonald
Lantra Mentor Award
Drew Easton
The ALBAS are organised by Lantra, the sector skills council for the land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries.
According to Liz Barron-Majerik, Scotland Director, Lantra, the awards recognise the success of trainees in Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sector, while also encouraging employers to think about the future workforce.
She continued: “We have again had some fantastic entries for the ALBAS, and everyone who was nominated should be very proud of their achievements.
Our learners are literally the best of the best from our sector, a sector which is crucial to the economy, our communities and for the environment.
There was an impressive range of representatives from industry and skills organisations at our ceremony too.
We were delighted to have the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, joining us, and for Cammy Wilson from the Sheep Game to host the awards.
The ALBAS can only take place because of the huge amount of unpaid time that Keith Paterson and his team of independent judges put in, reviewing the nominations and interviewing short-listed candidates.
I’d also like to thank all our generous supporters who have helped support the ALBAS. Our main supporter is the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre. We’re also very grateful to Andy Murray, BAGMA, Bakkafrost Scotland, Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, HTA, NatureScot, Equido Horsemanship, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, SQA and SRUC”.
Photographs from the night are available here.