The Ayrshire Apprenticeship Challenge 2026 came to an exciting close on Tuesday 3rd March 2026, with the final event held at the Ayr United Hospitality Suite during Scottish Apprenticeship Week. Skills Development Scotland served as the principal sponsor, supported by DYW Ayrshire and the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce. 

 

 

This year’s Challenge highlighted the dedication and hard work of apprentices from organisations across Ayrshire. Over several months, participants were tasked with designing and delivering a project that would create a positive impact within their local community. The Challenge is open to teams of 1 or more, providing a platform to showcase their talents and develop their skillset. 

Six teams took part in the 2026 competition, representing: 
• Joy by Corrine Smith Design  
• Shire Housing 
• Aquora 
• Prestwick Aerosystems 
• Ayrshire College: Hairdressing 
• Collins Aerospace  

 

Apprentices were encouraged to independently identify their project ideas and push themselves to develop new skills. This year’s initiatives included: 

Aquora – A project aimed at engaging with schools across Ayrshire to highlight the diverse range of engineering careers. Apprentices visited several schools to deliver interactive sessions and run practical challenges to test pupils’ skills. 

Joy by Corrine Smith Design – Katie created and sold upcycled jewellery to raise funds for Ayrshire Cancer Support. She also organised a Christmas card design competition, with the winning designs sold in local shops. 

Prestwick Aerosystems – Apprentices completed a sponsored walk up Ben Lomond and used the funds raised to purchase a large selection of Christmas gifts for The Night Before Christmas campaign. A team then volunteered to help sort donated gifts and used company vehicles to deliver them to schools across the West of Scotland. 

Ayrshire College: Hairdressing – Apprentices carried out a sponsored walk around Dumfries House wearing wigs and tutus, took part in a sponsored silence, and donated their skills for a day at Ayrshire Hospice, where trainee stylists provided hairdressing services for patients and their families. 

Shire Housing – Keir delivered a housing presentation to senior pupils at Doon Academy. The project helped equip young people with practical housing knowledge while also developing the apprentice’s communication and presentation skills. 

Collins Aerospace – Apprentices created a memory wall at Whitley’s Retreat for families grieving the loss of a loved one. Fundraising for this included a Halloween-themed fancy dress run and a charity football match. 

 

 

To support their development throughout the Challenge, participants were offered optional training workshops. Lean on Me Associates led sessions in Team Building and Leadership, while Strand PR delivered workshops in Report Writing and Presentation Skills. All providing apprentices with valuable learning opportunities. 

 

As part of the judging process, each team submitted a detailed portfolio outlining their project. At the final event, they presented their outcomes to a panel of judges:
• Claire Tooze, Area Manager, Skills Development Scotland
• Claire Baird, Chief Executive, Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce
• Alistair Rodgers, Director of Enterprise Development, Ayrshire College 

 

The judges were impressed by the quality and variety of the projects and faced a difficult decision. After considerable discussion, the following awards were confirmed: 

• Most Innovative Project: Aquora 

• Best Individual Presentation: Joy by Corrine Smith Design 

• Best Team Presentation: Collins Aerospace 

• Best Overall Project: Prestwick Aerosystems 

 

Claire Tooze, Area Manager at Skills Development Scotland, said: “It was fantastic to see the breadth of entries this year. The enthusiasm and motivation shone through in all the applicants making it a very difficult judging process!  Well done to everyone involved in participating and organising another great event this year. It shines a spotlight on Modern Apprenticeship opportunities across Ayrshire as well as the commitment and passion of all the young people involved”.

 

The 2027 Challenge is set to launch at the end of April. More details will be shared soon, but if you’d like to get involved, please contact info@dywayrshire.com.