Employability Awards showcase fantastic talent

More than 140 nominations were made for North Ayrshire Council’s third annual Employability Awards.

The awards ceremony took place at Saltcoats Town Hall on Tuesday 11 November and turned the spotlight on trainees, volunteers, Modern Apprentices and people gaining skills, confidence and work experience to prepare to progress to the world of work.

The annual awards are arranged by the Council’s Employability Service’s Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme, and Council Leader Marie Burns and Provost Anthea Dickson presented awards in ten categories.

This year, the event was held during Scottish Careers Week – which takes place from 10 to 14 November and is led by Skills Development Scotland.

The special week highlights Scotland's career opportunities and support systems, and a new award for Career Pathway Excellence was included this year in acknowledgement.

Provost Dickson added: “It was an honour to meet all of the finalists and winners on the day. They have been truly inspiring, and I commend them on their successful employability journeys.

“Our Employability team does a marvellous job – along with partner organisations -throughout the year to help people from all walks of life succeed. And I congratulate them for the work they do, and also on another successful Employability Awards.”

The categories and winners are:

Progression into Work - Louise Morrison

Louise, a lone parent to twins, joined the Skills for Life Facilities/Janitorial Programme in summer. As part of the Facilities team at Ardrossan Academy, the placement hours of 10am to 2pm worked perfectly for her family’s needs. With support, she started a job with the catering team at St Matthew’s Academy. Securing sustainable employment just three months into a six-month programme has shown resilience, organisation and drive to create a better future for her family.

Outstanding Team Member - Ronan Leask

Ronan has gone from having no work experience and living at home to working at Auchrannie Resort on Arran and living there in staff accommodation. He has grown in confidence, working in the resort’s busy brasserie, becoming a valuable team member and attracting some outstanding feedback from customers for his great service and attention to detail. In September, he was named Team Member of the Month out of 175 colleagues – and he is expected to further his career development with different opportunities.

Outstanding Effort - Rachel Walker

Rachel turned to employability social enterprise CEIS Ayrshire for support after struggling with low confidence, anxiety, a lack of work experience and being out of work for six months. She got support to improve her interview skills, boost her confidence and create a strong CV – and secured a permanent position at a café in Irvine. She now also volunteers with Cancer Research UK in Irvine and has become a Brownie Leader.

Placement Champion - John Macleod

John was looking for a flexible role to tie in with his responsibilities as a dad. He attended a recruitment event and was interviewed for a vacancy with CEIS Ayrshire through the Council’s Third Sector programme. He got the placement and when it ended was offered a permanent role. He now leads a systems improvement project aimed at modernising work practices.

Volunteer of the Year -Tammie Gallagher

Tammie has been described as a “Your Next Move Wonder Woman” after joining ‘We Work For Families’ Parent Group in Ardrossan. She volunteered as a Personal Safety Instructor through the Scottish Centre for Personal Safety and enrolled in its Instructor Training Programme in April. This involved conflict management, kickboxing, Krav Maga, martial arts-based fitness and self-defence -and she completed it in July. She is now a fully qualified instructor with SCPS, volunteering her time to deliver personal safety sessions across North Ayrshire’s communities – she has been praised for her “commitment, growth, passion and a heart for helping others”.

Employer Recognition - RPS (PUBS) Ltd

The company has forged strong links with the Council’s Employability team by not only providing jobs, but building confidence, skills and long-term opportunities for people. So far, eight young people – many who faced significant barriers to work - have gained meaningful employment through placements. The firm has been applauded for its non-judgemental and inclusive approach. They also give helpful feedback to CEIS Ayrshire and Jobcentre Plus on interviews and work trials they host at the Eglinton Inn in Beith and Kilty’s in Kilwinning. Participants consistently describe company director Ross Stevenson as a supportive and empowering employer who is approachable, patient and genuinely invested in their growth.

Modern Apprentice of the Year – Lewis Hughes

Lewis secured a Modern Apprenticeship with the Council’s Streetscene team following a six-month placement through Employability’s Skills For Life programme, and he has excelled. Lewis loves the outdoors, manual work and landscaping. He has faced challenges, including with ADHD and anxiety, and has become a confident and skilled young man, described as being “an advocate for young people with a disability”.

Achiever of the Year - William McHardy

Through the Council’s Criminal Justice team, William was referred onto the Employability Mentor Programme. He had a background in care provision, but was keen to work in construction. He went on to work towards a Health and Safety certificate that is compulsory in the construction industry – and passed with flying colours.

Young Achiever of the Year - Ben Gibson

Ben first joined CEIS Ayrshire in July 2024 and lived with various challenges as a young man living with cerebral palsy. He joined Beith Youth Hub and got help to create a CV before completing an accredited Customer Service qualification. He also attended weekly employability sessions to improve his confidence, interview skills, and overall job readiness. Despite some knocks along the way, he persevered and secured a three-month paid placement with Irvine Sports Club through Community Jobs North Ayrshire. In April, he started a full-time job at the BPO Collections contact centre in Ardrossan.

Career Pathway Excellence - Alyn Aitchison

Alyn worked as a care assistant, but the job contributed to his poor mental health and lack of confidence. He started volunteering at the EQUAL Specialist Employability Support (SES) community garden for six weeks before completing a six-month paid traineeship with a National Progression Award in Horticulture. This led to paid work experience as a stores person with Irvine engineering firm Booth Welsh, where he now works full time.

Published: 13 November 2025