Q&A WITH 2018 APPRENTICE DECORATOR OF THE YEAR WINNER’S COLLEGE
As the 2019 Apprentice Decorator of the Year regional heats get underway, we had a catch up with Alan Burns, deputy executive director at City Building Glasgow which is home to last year’s winner, Aiden Dearie, to find out how winning has impacted him and his fellow apprentices.
How does it feel to have a City Building Glasgow student named as Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year?
We are very proud of Aiden’s achievements, and we’re also proud of the quality of the training he’s been given throughout his apprenticeship journey – but it’s thanks to Aiden’s hard work and dedication that he was able to achieve this great accolade. Shortly after his win, Aiden attended a celebration with the team he works with, and as a college we continue to celebrate his win.
Has Aiden’s win had any impact on other students at the college?
By showcasing Aiden’s achievements, we’ve been able to highlight the fact that hard work and dedication means you can achieve great things, which hopefully motivates some of our younger apprentices. Aiden’s also talked about his apprenticeship and encouraged others on a video we’ve created for new apprentices.
Why did City Building Glasgow decide to offer Aiden a full time role following his win?
Being named Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year shows the outstanding talent Aiden has. We have invested in him over the four years of his apprenticeship and he’s rewarded us through his skills, which highlight the quality of our tradespeople. He’s a great ambassador for the college and winning such a prestigious award should mean that his future in the industry is secure.
How has Aiden settled into his new role?
He’s part of the team that keeps one of our city’s most prestigious buildings – Glasgow’s City Chambers – looking great for the thousands of tourists who visit it every year, which he and his colleagues do a great job of.
Aiden’s very laidback and takes everything in his stride, so his colleagues truly see him as part of the team. He works really well with them all, and constantly reminds them of his win!
What do you think is next for Aiden?
I’m confident that Aiden has a great future ahead of him at City Building Glasgow. Our current executive director and I are former apprentices, so as long as he continues to work hard, he’ll be able to work his way through the ranks as quickly as he wants.
What advice would you give to Aiden?
Continue to work hard, use your skills, and keep your personality.
What message would you give to any students considering entering the competition in the future?
We’re proud to have taught a few Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year winners, and we work with all of our apprentices to help them achieve great things. We’ll work with our students so that they’re able to enter, and will support them throughout. It’s not just winning the competition that’s rewarding – it’s a great way to improve both confidence and skills, so it’s well worth breaking out of your comfort zone to try it.
Don’t forget to keep up to date with this year’s Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition on our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.