A trio of Ayrshire brothers are keeping their grandfather’s legacy alive by highlighting the benefits of apprenticeships during Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025.
Callum, Jack, and Sam Hilditch from Kilwinning in North Ayrshire are all studying for trades apprenticeships at Ayrshire College’s Ayr Campus.
Callum, 22, the eldest, is in his third year of a four-year modern apprenticeship in plumbing at Ayrshire College with employer ABN Services, based in Fenwick, Kilmarnock. Callum received the Apprentice of the Year award from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation (SNIPEF) in November 2024.
The apprentice plumber, who was working as a supermarket delivery driver during Covid, is near to completing his time at Ayrshire College having submitted his gas portfolio recently. The final year of his studies is purely work-based.
Callum said, “It’s been a lot of hard work but I’ve really enjoyed going there. I never got bored and it was good to sit with the other apprentices to talk, even though that was mostly about football. One of the boys I’ve been doing my apprenticeship with, Mark, works for the same company as me but he’s on a different site so we only really see each other at college.
“I really wasn’t expecting it [the award] but it was nice to get recognised. I’mnot sure where my career will take me. Maybe I’d like to move into site management or higher up in the company eventually, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Callum’s younger brother Jack, 21, is in his first year of a Modern Apprenticeship in electrical installation at Ayrshire College with Archer Dean Electrical Contractors in Kilwinning. He started his studies at Ayrshire College with dreams of becoming a plumber.
Jack added, “My grandpa was a plumber and I did a pre-apprenticeship in plumbing first, but it wasn’t for me. I’d been working on sites as a labourer and then I started working for Archer Dean and got offered an apprenticeship in electrical installation. I’d always wanted to get a trade and it’s been great.
“My brother Callum did electrical first then moved into plumbing, so we did the opposite. But it’s been good to see Callum progress the way he has.
“The good thing about being at college is that everyone is at the same stage and you meet a lot of people who understand what it’s like. Especially with it being an in-person course and not online. Folk do a lot of different things as an electrician; it’s not all the same. Learning at college then doing it at work has been a big help and they’re a brilliant company to work for.”
After something of a staggered start, 16-year-old Sam, the youngest of the brothers, started a modern apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at Ayrshire College in October 2024.
Sam said, “I started working with a company learning the basics, a sort-of work experience. They said they’d put me through my apprenticeship then when that didn’t happen, I was devastated. I went back to school for a while but I was determined to find another apprenticeship. I’ve always wanted to be on a building site, since I was a boy. Although I never wanted to be a plumber like my brothers did.
“I was lucky to get an apprenticeship at R1 Construction in Stevenson. They do kitchens, extensions and renovation work. I enjoy it – you’re learning a skill and something new every day. I started at Ayrshire College in October and I enjoy that as well. The lecturers are brilliant but you’re learning off your classmates too, because some are more experienced than others.
“My best friend, Blake, has just started an apprenticeship. I’d like to think I helped inspire him to do it. He asked me questions about what I’ve been doingand I was telling him all about it.”
Cameron Bell, head of learning and skills: construction technology, trades, and renewables at Ayrshire College, added, “Callum, Jack, and Sam are a great example of the talent we have here at Ayrshire College. Callum’s win as SNIPEF Apprentice of the Year is a huge achievement, and it’s great to see his brothers, Jack and Sam, doing so well in the early stages of their respective apprenticeships of electrical and joinery. This story highlights the variety of opportunities we offer across different trades and our commitment to giving students the skills, support, and knowledge they need to succeed in their careers.”
Stuart Millar, head of employer engagement and innovation at Ayrshire College, commented, “Apprenticeships are vital to addressing the skills gap, as are role models like Callum, Jack and Sam. At Ayrshire College, we are proud to able to support the next generation of skilled professionals. This is possible thanks to employers investing in young people and helping them progress into careers that grow the economy in Ayrshire and beyond.”
Jack added, “My mum will be sorted for trades in the house. All she needs is a bricklayer now!”
