Scotland’s national skills agency is on the hunt for Glasgow's top apprentices and employers.

The Scottish Apprenticeship Awards, organised by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), recognise the contributions of apprentices, employers, and learning providers across various sectors.

The awards celebrate the benefits apprenticeships bring to individuals and the economy.

Categories will highlight the achievements of apprentices, the support of employers and learning providers, and the role of apprenticeships in Scotland's economic and climate change ambitions.

Nominations for the awards close at 12pm on October 4, and winners will be announced during Scottish Apprenticeship Week from March 3 to 7, 2025.

More information on categories, entry rules, and online nomination forms can be found at apprenticeships.scot/awards.

Judges are looking for local talent, such as Douglas Steer, a previous finalist.

Douglas was nominated in the Modern Apprentice of the Year Level 6 category by international financial services firm, Morgan Stanley.

He was recognised for his achievements during his apprenticeship, including automating a technical accounting procedure that previously took a week to process.

Thanks to Douglas, the process can now be completed in a day, freeing up colleagues for other tasks.

He has also automated other processes, fixed bugs and mistakes, and generally helped his department work more efficiently.

Frank Mitchell, chair of SDS, said: "Designed by employers, empowering the right skills, apprenticeships play an essential part in Scotland’s drive for economic success, while providing greater opportunity for people from a diverse range of backgrounds to progress in life and work.

"The expansion of Scottish Apprenticeships is one of the great success stories of recent years, giving thousands of Scots access to high-quality work-based learning pathways, while delivering the vital skills employers and industry need.

"The Scottish Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic platform to recognise the significant success and impact of apprentices across the country - and the invaluable support of employers and learning providers who invest in apprenticeships."

Graeme Dey MSP, Minister for Higher and Further Education, said: "Apprenticeships play a vital role in giving young people a pathway into a rewarding career, providing them and their employers with the skills to support our future economy.

"The Scottish Government’s priority is for high-quality apprenticeships that provide sustainable jobs and careers, supporting our commitment to a wellbeing economy and transition to net zero.

"These awards are an important opportunity to recognise the collaboration that makes apprenticeships work – highlighting the success of apprentices, their employers and learning providers across the length and breadth of the country."