Heavy Vehicle apprentice Callum wins bronze at IMI Skills Final
During Scottish Apprenticeship Week we are putting the spotlight on some of our incredible apprentices and highlighting their career achievements to date.
Heavy Vehicle apprentice Callum Stewart, who is now working full-time having completed his qualifications, is one of those high-flying apprentices after showcasing his exceptional skills on a national stage.
The 24-year-old won a bronze medal at the 2024 IMI Skills Competition Finals held in Swindon, in which he competed against five peers who, with Callum, made up the UK’s top 6 apprentices in the Heavy Vehicle category following an intense competition process which began with 600 entrants.
In addition, Callum’s journey to the finals was particularly significant, as he was one of three Edinburgh College students who competed in the regional heats, representing a large fraction of all competitors in the Heavy Vehicle Engineering category. Callum won his heat outright and claimed his place one of six finalists.
During the final, Callum and his peers undertook six timed challenges on heavy vehicles over two days which tested their skills and knowledges relating to the diagnosis and rectification of vehicle systems and vehicle inspection.
Edinburgh College has long been a supporter of skills competitions across many subject areas including automotive engineering, with former students having won medals in IMI light vehicle competitions as well as taking part in body and paint repair principles, and shows the commitment of Edinburgh College to maintain the high quality education that the students are provided and deserve.
I am really proud to have won the bronze medal at the IMI Skills final. The competition has been a great journey, made possible by my lecturer Alan and my employers Tayside Contracts. It’s been a great opportunity to test my skills against the best and to push myself even further and to add something different to my CV at the end of it all. I’ve worked really hard for this, so to win a medal at the end of it is fantastic. I’d encourage all apprentices to consider taking part in these competitions.Callum Stewart
Callum’s success reflects the high-quality training and dedication of our apprentices here at the College. To have three of our students competing in the heats and one reaching the finals is a tremendous achievement. Callum worked very hard in preparation and we are delighted that he was able to win a bronze medal which is a fantastic achievement. Our thanks go to Callum’s employers, Tayside Contracts, for their support in Callum’s competition which has allowed him to travel from his home in Arbroath to Edinburgh to practice.Alan Phillips, Heavy Vehicle lecturer at Edinburgh College
Huge congratulations to Callum on this brilliant achievement. His commitment and skill have made him a valued member of our team, and we’re delighted for him that he won this medal which is just rewards for all his hard work in his career so far.Bob Ritchie, Transport Services Manager at Tayside Contracts