Vet nurse Stuart in the running for a top award

A trainee from Edinburgh has been short-listed for Lantra Scotland’s prestigious Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards.

Stuart Hynds will learn if he has won the Lantra award on March 7

Stuart Hynds, 28, has completed a Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing at SRUC and currently works for Vets4Pets in Newcraighall.

After achieving great results and excellent placement references on a City & Guilds Level 2 Veterinary Care Assistant course, Stuart progressed to the Level 3 qualification before finding a full-time job.

Stuart said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my learning journey and intend to continue building my knowledge throughout my career. I would also like to help other students, for example, mentoring or teaching them while they are on placement so they can fulfil their potential.”

Lantra Scotland is the sector skills council for land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries, and the awards play a vital role in promoting careers within the rural sector, celebrating the achievements of learners and highlighting the importance to employers of investing in skills.

The finalists for the 2019 learner of the year awards were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the land-based and aquaculture sector: Agriculture and rural affairs journalist Erika Hay, Keith Paterson of Forestry Commission Scotland, farmer Keith Redpath, former agricultural banker Jimmy McLean, Lisa Connell of The Scottish Salmon Company and Rebecca Dawes of Jane Craigie Marketing.

Liz Barron-Majerik, director of Lantra Scotland said: “We’re delighted to announce the finalists for our 2019 Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards. As well as highlighting the achievements of new entrants to our sector, the awards play a key role in promoting the importance of gaining qualifications and developing skills, for both trainees and their employers. Everyone who was nominated, whether a finalist or not, should be extremely proud of this recognition, and we look forward to celebrating their success at our ceremony in the DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro on Thursday, March 7.

“We are very grateful to the independent panel of judges, to training providers and to the employers for contributions, and of course to all of our generous event sponsors.”

Erika Hay, chair of the independent judging panel, said: “As in previous years, we’ve been very impressed with the quality of people nominated for Lantra’s awards, and it’s been a privilege to meet them. We know how much it means to finalists to get to this stage of the awards, as it’s a great boost for their self-confidence and demonstrates their potential to the rest of the sector.

“There’s a real depth of talent and enthusiasm coming through across the country, and that can only be a good thing for Scotland’s rural economy.”