Double Victory for HF Apprentices

Celebrating Excellence with a Double Victory for HF Apprentices at Trades Hall Glasgow

At HF, we frequently share the ethos that a company is only as strong as the people keeping it connected. While that applies to our senior engineers out on site every day, it is equally true for the next generation of talent currently working through our industry-leading apprentice programme.

This week, that dedication to excellence was spotlighted on a national stage. At the Glasgow Clyde College Awards Ceremony, held inside the historic Trades Hall Glasgow, two of our brightest rising stars took to the main stage to claim top honours.

Everyone across the HF family is incredibly proud to celebrate a magnificent double victory:

• Steven McDonald – Winner of the SVQ Adult Apprentice of the Year (1st Year)
• Nathan Devenish – Winner of the Electrical Pre-Apprenticeship Best in Class

This double win highlights not only the exceptional work ethic and technical capabilities of Steven and Nathan but also the structural quality that underpins the entire HF training ecosystem.

Shaking Up the Industry: Steven’s First-Year Triumph

Stepping into an engineering apprenticeship as an adult requires an immense amount of drive, focus and adaptability. Representing the specialist team at HF Controls, Steven McDonald has consistently demonstrated those exact traits since day one.

Taking home the SVQ Adult Apprentice of the Year title in his very first year is an outstanding achievement. The adult apprenticeship route is highly demanding, blending rigorous, fast-paced technical theory with high-stakes, hands-on industrial applications. Steven’s ability to master these concepts so early in his journey proves he is already operating at an elite standard, setting a fantastic benchmark for his peers at HF Controls.

Securing Top Talent: Nathan’s Best-in-Class Foundation

Over in our electrical division, Nathan Devenish secured the Electrical Pre-Apprenticeship Best in Class award. Nathan’s journey with HF highlights the exact mechanism that makes our recruitment process so uniquely successful.

While Nathan earned this academic award just prior to starting his official full apprenticeship with HF, he has actually been working hard on the tools with us on site since January. He is scheduled to transition onto his full, formal four-year apprenticeship scheme in the upcoming August 2026 term.

Nathan’s top-of-the-class finish is a direct validation of why HF champions local educational partnerships. By working closely with premier training facilities like Glasgow Clyde College, we can spot, support and recruit the most promising technical minds before they even fully enter the job market. Seeing Nathan win Best in Class gives us absolute confidence that the future of our Glasgow Electrical division is in incredibly safe hands.

Why the Pre-Apprenticeship Route is Our Ultimate Pipeline

At HF, our apprenticeship scheme is not a short-term training drill; it is a multi-decade cornerstone of our corporate growth strategy. Over the decades, this programme has served as the launchpad for countless outstanding, lifelong careers within the company, with many of our current project managers, estimators and senior directors having originally started their journeys as HF apprentices.

To maintain our uncompromising standard of delivery across our mechanical, electrical, and fire & security sectors, we do not hire apprentices through standard, speculative applications. Instead, we deliberately look to our partner colleges to identify the standouts.

The 16-week Pre-Apprenticeship courses give aspiring engineers a comprehensive grounding in the realities of the trade. It tests their dedication, math skills, spatial awareness, and practical aptitude. When a college approaches us to recommend their absolute top-tier performers (the students who went above and beyond, like Nathan), those are the candidates we invite to join the HF family.

By investing heavily in these top-performing individuals, we ensure the continuity of our high service standards and inject fresh innovation into our field teams.

A Collaborative Success: Thank You to Glasgow Clyde College

An apprentice’s success is built on a crucial triangle: the dedication of the individual, the real-world mentorship provided on site by HF, and the high standard of academic instruction delivered by our educational partners.

We want to extend our sincere thanks to the tutors, staff, and leadership team at Glasgow Clyde College for hosting a fantastic ceremony at Trades Hall and for their continued commitment to shaping the next generation of engineering professionals. Their shared ambition to support the modern trades ensures that the Scottish engineering sector remains robust, safe, and forward-thinking.

What’s Next for Our Award Winners?

Steven and Nathan have demonstrated that with the right attitude, an exceptional work ethic, and a supportive training ecosystem, there are no limits to what can be achieved early in a career.

We are incredibly proud of both of them for representing the HF brand with such distinction at Trades Hall. We look forward to watching them apply their award-winning skills on site, and we cannot wait to support them through the next steps of their professional development.

Are you ready to build a lifelong career with a company that actively values, develops, and celebrates its people? Take your first step by enrolling in a pre-apprenticeship course with our regional college partners in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, or Aberdeen.