After an intense 18 months of redevelopment and investment, Ferguson Marine are delighted to have come away from the Greenock Chamber of Commerce 2016 Bees Knees Annual Business awards with two prestigious awards.
EXCELLENCE IN SKILLS AND LEARNING
Very little could make a more positive statement about our plans for building for the future, than to pick up the Bees Knees Award for Excellence and Skills in Learning. Receiving the award on behalf of the company was Group Head of HR, Kelly O’Rourke who was ably assisted by Engineering Apprentices Louise Larkin and Reece Williamson.
Pictured are Audrey Cumberford, Principal and Chief Executive of West College Scotland, who presented the Skills & Learning award; Reece Williamson, Kelly O'Rourke and Jim McColl
Both apprentices had been involved in the competition assessment process and were delighted to represent the other Apprentices all of whom are reaching the end of their first year at College with yard experience. They represent the first wave of over 150 new apprentices that will start exciting careers with Ferguson Marine between now and 2020.
It’s worth mentioning that the first of that new wave – 30 new apprentices for 2016 – will shortly be joining FMEL after a lengthy and testing process which started with 350 applicants, five of whom were female.
MANUFACTURER OR PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
While we were delighted to be recognised for building the future Ferguson Marine team, we were also greatly honoured to collect the award for Manufacturer or Producer of the Year. As most locals will have witnessed over the last few months in particular, there are big changes (some might say “gigantic” when looking at the new assembly shed) taking place with many more yet to come.
It is equally impressive to note that, while all of this is going on around them, the yard team has been finalising fit-out of the MV Catriona, which launched in December, and are moving on at speed with production on the two CMAL 100rm LNG ferries. It may have been a combination of these – plus the creation of many new jobs, that swayed the judges but we are delighted to have taken such an important title.
It looks like we have set ourselves a pretty high bar for 2017. But that’s the way we like it!
Pictured are Liam Campbell, Gavin McDonagh, Managing Director of Kip Marina, who presented the Manufacturer or Producer of the Year Award, Jim McColl and John Morgan