Taylor excelled during her Modern Apprenticeship at Maskame and Tait and was recognised at NESCol’s graduation with the Apprentice of the Year Award.
19-year-old Taylor McGruther thought she would go down the construction route after school, as it was something she was always interested in.
By the time she sat her Higher exams in fifth year, Taylor already had secured a Modern Apprenticeship with Maskame and Tait, a joinery and construction services provider based in Peterhead.
She left Mintlaw Academy and started her new role in May 2023. A few months later, Taylor was signed up for the SCQF Level 6 Business and Administration Modern Apprenticeship with NESCol.
She said, “I knew I didn’t want to go to university, but I knew I wanted to continue to learn.”
Modern Apprenticeship
Taylor’s job had been newly created at Maskame and Tait to help the office run more smoothly. The varied role involved tasks from across the company, including administration, finance and managerial responsibilities.
Taylor completed the majority of the Modern Apprenticeship units in the workplace as part of her day-to-day work. She also undertook the International Certification of Digital Literacy (ICDL) course, which she completed at NESCol.
She said: “I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the company and how things work.
“My biggest achievement so far has been being part of the Innovation Team, started by my manager, Scott. Alongside two other Construction Apprentices, we are making changes to help employees, create innovative solutions in the business, and encourage everyone to be part of the team.”
One of the improvement projects Taylor worked on involved developing a QR code process that allowed site teams to scan and access job details in real time remotely. This saved the business time and money and made the process almost entirely paper-free.
Taylor praised the support she received throughout her apprenticeship from both her NESCol Workplace Assessor and Maskame and Tait Mentor.
She said: “The support was really good. Everyone was always there to help.”
Graduation
Taylor completed her Modern Apprenticeship in two years, graduating at the Music Hall on 7 October 2025.
She also received the Modern Apprentice of the Year Award, having been nominated for her professional and positive attitude, hard work, and growth during her apprenticeship.
Scott Maskame, Director and Mentor at Maskame and Tait, said: “Taylor has been a fantastic Modern Apprentice and has grown to become an essential member of our team. As we embark on the next stage of growth for our business over the coming years, Taylor will play a crucial role, and we hope she passes her knowledge, skills and work ethic to our next apprentices as we grow our team in the future.”
Future plans
Taylor is dedicated to her learning journey and has recently started her SCQF Level 8 SVQ in Business and Administration. She is content in her current role and has no specific plans for the future – she is happy to see where this route takes her.
She said, “I am keen to bring other innovative ideas to the business and be part of the expansion. It would be great to have my own team in the office with other business apprentices.
“I would recommend an Modern Apprenticeship to anyone who is keen to earn while they learn.”
Study a Modern Apprenticeship at NESCol
A Modern Apprenticeship is an alternative study pathway, which gives anyone over the age of 16 the opportunity to achieve industry-recognised qualifications whilst working.
Find out more about Modern Apprenticeships