Gas Certification Company’s mission to deliver a highly qualified, safe gas workforce wins them a prestigious award
10 Sep 2025
In June LCL Awards accredited centre, Gas Certification Company Ltd. (GCC), based near Glasgow, was named Best Small Business at Lanarkshire’s Business Excellence Awards.
The Awards, an annual event, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, is open to businesses of all kinds in the region and has ten categories, which celebrate the achievements and successes of the Lanarkshire business community. Andrew McNabb and his team at GCC are quite rightly proud to have won.
GCC’s Business Director, Louise Smith believes that aside from its commitment to excellent training and the wellbeing of its staff, the company was recognised for its efforts in community engagement and encouraging new learners to the sector. She explains:
“We actively support our local community and engage with a wide range of people in the area. We have run various charity initiatives to help Scottish charities, such as MND Scotland, and we’ve been sponsoring our local swimming team, which was badly hit by the COVID pandemic.
“Our partnerships with local schools, businesses, and government bodies strengthen our reach, ensuring that GCC remains at the forefront in the industry. We employ a multi-channel approach to marketing, using social media, industry events and direct engagement with other businesses to promote our courses and training opportunities.
“Over the past year, we have successfully trained 20 new recruits - doubling our initial target of 10 - and delivered multiple accreditation courses, reinforcing our commitment to developing highly skilled and safety-conscious engineers. Our Energy Certification Hub showcases modern, sustainable energy solutions, with hands-on training that distinguishes GCC from other providers.
“As well as providing training for qualified engineers, we are keen to encourage and work with the young and have several initiatives in place to do this. By investing in academic growth, we hope to inspire students to opt for apprenticeships, fostering the next generation of skilled professionals.
“Andy has set up a privately funded scheme to help local children who need support with their STEM subjects. It’s called the GCC Ignite Scholarship Scheme programme and will initially support 10 school-aged students, providing mentoring and tutoring in key subjects like maths and physics - demonstrating their real-world application in the gas industry.
“Concentrating on practical and theoretical learning, the programme will help build confidence, equipping learners with the skills they need for further training or finding work in the future.
“Our sector is experiencing a significant skills gap, with over 50% of UK gas engineers aged 55 or older, a shortage of new talent poses a real risk. We believe our proactive approach to training and retention helps us play our part in securing the future of the industry. There’s also the Developing the Young Workforce initiative, where we have participated in a six-week placement that transitions into a fully funded apprenticeship with guaranteed employment.
“Beyond our efforts in training and education, our ambition is to help shape policy and support structures that will secure the future of our sector. We are actively engaged in conversations with the Scottish Government to advocate for increased support for funded apprenticeships and return-to-work schemes.”
There’s a positive team of seven behind GCC, with individuals working well together and offering support when they need it. Jo Kelly, Centre Manager appreciates the constructive working environment where CPD and a collaborative approach to business planning allow everyone to shine.
“We have a great team here, working together to deliver our shared passion for great training, and understand the importance of work-life balance; actively supporting flexible working options that focus on employee well-being, diversity, and inclusion.
“Since taking over the business in 2023, Andy’s approach has fostered a strong internal culture which has enhanced the company’s overall performance and ensured our continued success. We are currently working towards achieving Constructionline Gold Accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to ethical business practices, sustainability and the highest health and safety standards across our supply chain.
“We are thrilled to have won this Lanarkshire Business Excellence Award. It further validates our credibility, reinforcing GCC’s role as a leading gas training provider in Scotland. Through our charitable efforts, workforce development, commitment to fair working practices, and dedication to sustainability, we continue to do all we can to prepare a safe, enthusiastic, and efficient workforce for the future.”
To find out more about GCC and the award please click here.
Pictured left to right: Helen Monteith, Kasey Barclay, Louise Smith, Andy McNab, Jo Kelly.
In June LCL Awards accredited centre, Gas Certification Company Ltd. (GCC), based near Glasgow, was named Best Small Business at Lanarkshire’s Business Excellence Awards.
The Awards, an annual event, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, is open to businesses of all kinds in the region and has ten categories, which celebrate the achievements and successes of the Lanarkshire business community. Andrew McNabb and his team at GCC are quite rightly proud to have won.
GCC’s Business Director, Louise Smith believes that aside from its commitment to excellent training and the wellbeing of its staff, the company was recognised for its efforts in community engagement and encouraging new learners to the sector. She explains:
“We actively support our local community and engage with a wide range of people in the area. We have run various charity initiatives to help Scottish charities, such as MND Scotland, and we’ve been sponsoring our local swimming team, which was badly hit by the COVID pandemic.
“Our partnerships with local schools, businesses, and government bodies strengthen our reach, ensuring that GCC remains at the forefront in the industry. We employ a multi-channel approach to marketing, using social media, industry events and direct engagement with other businesses to promote our courses and training opportunities.
“Over the past year, we have successfully trained 20 new recruits - doubling our initial target of 10 - and delivered multiple accreditation courses, reinforcing our commitment to developing highly skilled and safety-conscious engineers. Our Energy Certification Hub showcases modern, sustainable energy solutions, with hands-on training that distinguishes GCC from other providers.
“As well as providing training for qualified engineers, we are keen to encourage and work with the young and have several initiatives in place to do this. By investing in academic growth, we hope to inspire students to opt for apprenticeships, fostering the next generation of skilled professionals.
“Andy has set up a privately funded scheme to help local children who need support with their STEM subjects. It’s called the GCC Ignite Scholarship Scheme programme and will initially support 10 school-aged students, providing mentoring and tutoring in key subjects like maths and physics - demonstrating their real-world application in the gas industry.
“Concentrating on practical and theoretical learning, the programme will help build confidence, equipping learners with the skills they need for further training or finding work in the future.
“Our sector is experiencing a significant skills gap, with over 50% of UK gas engineers aged 55 or older, a shortage of new talent poses a real risk. We believe our proactive approach to training and retention helps us play our part in securing the future of the industry. There’s also the Developing the Young Workforce initiative, where we have participated in a six-week placement that transitions into a fully funded apprenticeship with guaranteed employment.
“Beyond our efforts in training and education, our ambition is to help shape policy and support structures that will secure the future of our sector. We are actively engaged in conversations with the Scottish Government to advocate for increased support for funded apprenticeships and return-to-work schemes.”
There’s a positive team of seven behind GCC, with individuals working well together and offering support when they need it. Jo Kelly, Centre Manager appreciates the constructive working environment where CPD and a collaborative approach to business planning allow everyone to shine.
“We have a great team here, working together to deliver our shared passion for great training, and understand the importance of work-life balance; actively supporting flexible working options that focus on employee well-being, diversity, and inclusion.
“Since taking over the business in 2023, Andy’s approach has fostered a strong internal culture which has enhanced the company’s overall performance and ensured our continued success. We are currently working towards achieving Constructionline Gold Accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to ethical business practices, sustainability and the highest health and safety standards across our supply chain.
“We are thrilled to have won this Lanarkshire Business Excellence Award. It further validates our credibility, reinforcing GCC’s role as a leading gas training provider in Scotland. Through our charitable efforts, workforce development, commitment to fair working practices, and dedication to sustainability, we continue to do all we can to prepare a safe, enthusiastic, and efficient workforce for the future.”
To find out more about GCC and the award please click here.
Pictured left to right: Helen Monteith, Kasey Barclay, Louise Smith, Andy McNab, Jo Kelly.