Four trainees from the agriculture industry have been short-listed for Lantra Scotland’s much-anticipated Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills – the ALBAS.

The winners will be announced at a gala dinner and award ceremony on Thursday March 3, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Dunblane Hydro. This will be the twentieth iteration of the awards since they were first launched back in 2002.

Read more: Nominations for Lantra Scotland’s 2022 ALBAS are officially open

This year's agricultural finalists are Alicja Blaszczk, Craig Farmer, Martin Young and William Yuille.

  • Alicja, aged 24 from Ormiston in East Lothian, has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in General Agriculture at George Brown & Sons through Borders College. She said: “I’m finding it rewarding being part of a business that is evolving and resilient. My ambition is to continue working in the agricultural sector to help improve and implement any changes that it needs.”
  • Craig, aged 24 from East Kilbride, has completed an Extended Diploma in Land-based Technology at Bryson Tractors Ltd through SRUC Oatridge. Craig said: “I enjoy the challenge of diagnosing faults on tractors and appreciate the variety of tasks I have within a single day. It’s really rewarding to fix problems and see the customer return to work as quickly as possible."
  • Martin, aged 20 from Insch in Aberdeenshire, has been doing an IMI Extended Diploma in Land-based Technology at Sellars through SRUC Barony. He said: “My passion for this industry started when I was just a young boy, as my family’s business consists mainly of agriculture and forestry. My ambition is to secure a role as a workshop manager, then set up my own agricultural dealership. As my grandad always said, nothing is impossible.”
  • William, aged 17 from Hollybush in Ayr, has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Agriculture at South Corton Farm through SRUC Barony. He said: “Farming can be a very rewarding career working with machinery and animals, but it is a real honour being nominated for a Lantra Award. My future ambition is to spend a summer in New Zealand operating machinery and travelling.”

Lantra Scotland is the sector skills council for land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries – and it believes that the ALBAS play a vital role in promoting rural careers, celebrating the achievements of learners, and highlighting the importance to employers of investing in skills. Categories at the awards also cover aquaculture, equine, environmental conservation, game and wildlife, horticulture, land-based engineering and trees and timber.

The finalists in those categories are:

  • Ellen Anderson, aged 16, who has completed a Grow and Learn Certificate from the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society at Meldrum Academy in Aberdeenshire;
  • Logan Bainbridge, 17 from Tarbet in Argyll and Bute, who has completed a National Certificate in Gamekeeping through SRUC Elmwood Campus;
  • Rory Donaldson, 17 from Comrie in Perthshire, who has completed a National Certificate in Gamekeeping at Drummond Estates through SRUC Elmwood Campus in Fife;
  • Eloise Fenton, 28 from Springhill Garden in Glasgow, who has completed a National Certificate in Horticulture and Horticultural Therapy at Glasgow Clyde College;
  • Derek Ferguson, 33 from the Shetland Islands, who is doing a Technical Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Management at Grieg Seafood through the Shetland UHI;
  • Charlotte Martin, 49 from Lanark, who has completed an HND in Countryside Management at SRUC Oatridge;
  • Brogan Noble, 15, who has completed a Grow and Learn Certificate from the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society at Meldrum Academy;
  • Rachel Orchard, 23 from Banchory in Aberdeenshire, who has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Trees and Timber at Forestry Land Scotland through the Scottish School of Forestry;
  • Victoria Potts, 24 from Banchory in Aberdeenshire, who has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Trees and Timber at Forestry and Land Scotland through the Scottish School of Forestry;
  • Natalia Reifart-Bieganowska, 34 from Paisley, who has completed a National Certificate in Landscape Design through Glasgow Clyde College;
  • Emmanuelle Rey, 43 from Glendevon, Dollar, who has completed a Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture at Dawnfresh Farming Ltd, through Shetland UHI;
  • Caroline von Linden, 42 from Maybole in South Ayrshire, who is doing an Equido Level 4 at the Turnberry Hotel through Ross Dhu Equestrian Ltd;
  • Stephanie Wharrie, 30 from Overton in Wishaw, who has been doing an Equido Level 3 at Ross Dhu Equestrian Limited;
  • Daisy Wright, 36 from Edinburgh, who has completed an HNC in Landscape Management and Horticulture at Historic Environment Scotland through SRUC Oatridge;
  • Emily Underhill, 27, from Oban, who is working as a Freshwater Fish Health Biologist for Scottish Sea Farms and did a Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture with Shetland UHI;
  • Wallace Hall Academy, Dumfries, under consideration for its WHApples Orchard, Polytunnels and Composting projects;
  • The Nicolson Institute, Stornoway, under consideration for its garden project.

All the finalists for ALBAS 2022 were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the land-based and aquaculture sector, chaired by Keith Paterson of Forestry and Land Scotland. As well as prizes for Overall Winner, Runner-up and Modern Apprentice of the Year, there are also prizes for Higher Education, School Pupil and Secondary Schools, CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies), Jean’s Jam for inspirational tutor, the Tam Tod Trophy for outstanding young learner, and the Anna Murray Award for Partnership Working.

Director of Lantra Scotland, Liz Barron-Majerik, commented: “It is a privilege to be able to name the finalists for our 2022 ALBAS, especially in this, the twentieth year the awards have been running. Since they were first launched, there have been over 1000 nominees and 300 finalists from across our industries.

"The ALBAS have become well-known for highlighting the achievements of new entrants and career changers in our sector, as well as promoting skills development and effective partnership working. As well as congratulating the finalists, I’d also like to say well done to everyone who was nominated, whether they have made it to the later stages of our awards or not. They should be very proud of this recognition.

"We are also very grateful to the independent and experienced panel of industry figures who do the judging, to training providers and employers who submit the nominations, and of course to all of our generous supporters."

Hosting the ALBAS evening ceremony on March 3 will be farmer and stand-up comedian Jim Smith. Tickets for the evening are available from Lantra Scotland by calling 01738 310164 or emailing scotland@lantra.co.uk