Blair engineers big savings for drinks firm on dream apprenticeship
Fife apprentice Blair Munro saves his company tens of thousands of pounds every year after engineering cost saving production methods.
Talented Blair applied for a Modern Apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering at premium drinks firm Diageo to gain the skills and experience he needed to pursue his dream career.
The 23-year-old successfully combined his practical learning at the company’s facility in Leven, Fife, with his technical studies at Fife College to play a key role in using advanced engineering principles to optimise production processes.
One of his biggest achievements has been to lead a steam trap optimisation project which resulted in annual savings of £27,000 by reducing steam loss and improving efficiency across the facility he was staffing.
Blair, of Star, Fife, started an events management course after attending Bell Baxter High School but switched to engineering because it’s where his passion lies.
He said: “My passion for engineering was sparked by pure curiosity for how machines work, starting with cars and progressing from there. I didn’t realise it was engineering at first but I just loved how I was constantly thinking and learning new things, so I knew it was a dream career for me.
“Doing the Modern Apprenticeship hugely improved my confidence and being able to draw on the experience of those I worked alongside was invaluable.”
Blair has progressed from a novice apprentice to secure a role as a Mechanical Engineer with Diageo’s Site Engineering Team and is a proactive team member who is trusted to oversee critical operations.
He often works with project engineers to create safe isolation schedules and has facilitated large-scale projects worth over £850,000.
He was awarded European Spirits Apprentice of the Year, a testament to his outstanding performance.
Blair also developed a Condition-Based Monitoring (CBM) route to efficiently track air leaks in the VAT rooms, delivering significant savings on running costs and takes time to mentor and support new apprentices, sparking a desire to take on leadership roles in the future.
“Coming through the gates at Diageo can feel daunting so I wanted to reassure other apprentices and help them feel comfortable when they started. It’s really rewarding to see them to do well and made me think about taking on leadership roles.”
Blair’s passion for engineering has led to him being a finalist in the Modern Apprenticeship of the Year SCQF Level 6+ category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards.
Diageo Capability Manager Rhoda Gabellone said: “Blair is a proactive individual who consistently asks insightful questions, builds strong working relationships, and is trusted to deliver exceptional results.
“His blend of technical skill, leadership, and dedication makes him an ideal candidate for this award and have led to him becoming a role model for newer apprentices.
“Modern Apprenticeships help us build a highly skilled talent pipeline in particular areas of engineering that are unique to our business. Apprentices bring a fresh prospective and help us keep pace with technological advances.”
Modern Apprenticeships and apprentices are made for business, developed with employers to provide skills in demand. They are jobs open to anyone aged 16 and over who wants to work, learn and earn.
Modern Apprentices spend most of their time learning in the workplace while being supported by a learning provider, like a college, to gain an industry recognised qualification.
Fife College Academic & Quality Manager (Fabrication, Welding & Automotive Engineering) Shaun Riach said: “Blair was an outstanding student who has a natural talent for engineering.
“He excelled at both the practical and theoretical aspects of his learning, showed tremendous empathy for his peers and is a caring and likeable young man.”
The winner of the Modern Apprentice of the Year SCQF Level 6+ category will be revealed at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards, which takes place 27 February in the run up to Scottish Apprenticeship Week (3 to 7 March).
Find out more about the award finalists and the event by visiting apprenticeships.scot.