THE work of Scotch Whisky apprentices at Scotland’s oldest copperworks has been praised by Keith Brown MSP during a visit to mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work visited Diageo’s Abercrombie Works in Alloa at his Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency on Monday to see first-hand how the apprentices are picking up the hammer and torch of the traditional craft of coppersmithing.

Brown said: “Scottish Apprenticeship Week provides us the opportunity to celebrate the benefits apprenticeships bring to businesses, individuals and the economy and I am delighted to be here at Abercrombie’s who are breaking down barriers by employing Rebecca Weir as the first female apprentice coppersmith in what, up until now, has been a role predominantly filled by men ... apprenticeships help create a dynamic and experienced workforce that contributes so much to Scotland.”