Members of Lothian’s engineering team enjoyed success at the IRTE Bus & Coach Skills Challenge 2025 last week (Wednesday 16 July), competing against engineers the length and breadth of the UK.

The IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) Skills Challenge is a UK-based competition, involving practical and theoretical assessments across various disciplines including diagnostics, inspections, and systems knowledge, and is designed to showcase and celebrate the skills and expertise of bus and coach technicians and apprentices.

The awards ceremony in Wolverhampton saw Lothian come out on top in several categories. Jamie McCallum, currently in his third year, was named Mechanical Apprentice Winner, while fellow third year mature apprentice (recently qualified) Stuart Dunlop won Electrical Apprentice.

Second year apprentice, Michael McNicol, also performed exceptionally, securing runner-up in the Bodywork Apprentice category.

In recognition of their collective performance, Jamie, Stuart, and Michael were jointly awarded Outstanding Apprentice Team, a remarkable achievement and a true reflection of their dedication, talent, and hard work.

Dylan Dastey, Chief Engineer Lothian said: “IRTE is recognised as the industry benchmark of skills and knowledge, and our success in this year’s finals demonstrates the importance of our continued investment in training and development across our engineering teams.

“We are thrilled with the overall performance of our team across the Skills Challenge, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Jamie, Stuart and Michael on their fantastic achievements.”

More information about the event can be found here: SOE :: IRTE Bus & Coach Skills Challenge 2025