Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is on the lookout for Dunbartonshire's top apprentices and employers.

The Scottish Apprenticeship Awards recognise apprentices, employers, and learning providers from 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 next year.

Mark Diamond (Image: Skills Development Scotland) 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 Mark Diamond, who won the title of Graduate Apprentice of the Year at the last awards held earlier this year.

Mark is currently in the electrical engineering department at Aggreko’s Dumbarton base and was part of the firm’s Events Team that designed and delivered the temporary power for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

He also worked to deliver the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia, where he worked by himself at different sites in four cities.

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."

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."