‘Outstanding leader’ Kingussie pupil Ailie is up for an ALBA
A Kingussie High School pupil with ‘outstanding leadership skills’ will discovered tonight if she is an award winner after being shortlisted for an ALBA.
Ailie MacLeod, who is also a UHI North, West and Hebrides Senior Phase student, is a finalist at the annual Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills (ALBAS).
The awards which take place this evening at Crieff Hydro Hotel are run by LANTRA Scotland and recognise outstanding achievement in the land-based sector.
Ailie (16), who has a strong passion for horses, has shown exceptional leadership and organisational skills throughout her time on the Skills for Work Rural Skills course.
She said: “I am delighted to be selected as a finalist at the ALBAS. I’m really looking forward to the awards ceremony – it’s going to be a great experience.”
Ailie excelled in a business project where students processed, marketed and sold venison at school.
The teen has further developed these skills through her weekend work at the Highland Horse Fun equestrian centre in her home town.
David Olds, Ailie’s lecturer, praised her dedication: “Ailie is responsible, mature, and has outstanding leadership skills for someone so young.
“Her ability to take initiative and work with others has really set her apart. We are incredibly proud of her achievement and look forward to seeing where her skills take her in the future.”
The Rural Skills course at UHI North, West and Hebrides is delivered to senior phase pupils in Kingussie, Grantown, Halkirk and Stornoway and equips them with fundamental skills in the land-based industry, covering estate maintenance, animal husbandry, animal handling, and veterinary care.
LANTRA Scotland is a charity dedicated to promoting careers in the land-based, aquaculture, and environmental conservation sector.
Senior phase applications for the course in 2025-26 are now open.
Interested students can explore more than 20 subject areas through various delivery modes, including on-campus, face-to-face, and online.
Find out more at: https://www.nwh.uhi.ac.uk/schools.
