Last night we triumphed over one of Scotland's top five-star hotels and a collection of privately-owned luxury Edinburgh hotels to pick up the Innovation in Training Award at the Catering in Scotland (CIS) Excellence Awards 2007.

Cardinal Newman High's Snapdragon restaurant in Bellshill - an enterprising restaurant project run in conjunction with Motherwell College - picked up the prestigious award at a glittering awards ceremony attended by some of the biggest names in the Scottish catering industry today.

Michelin-starred chef Tom Kitchin; Scottish Chef of the Year, Pamela Fowlis; Abode's Eleanor Donnelly; The Peat Inn in Fife; The Seafood Restaurant, St Andrews; Glenapp Castle; and Gleneagles Hotel were among the finalists for the 12 categories contested at the Glasgow Hilton.

Cardinal Newman High and Motherwell College were shortlisted for the Innovation in Training award alongside The Town House Company (a collection of privately-owned luxury Edinburgh Hotels -Channings, The Bonham, The Howard and The Edinburgh Residence) and the capital's five-star Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa. And the school was delighted to pick up the award against such strong competition.

The CIS Excellence Award comes just less than three months since Snapdragon was named Regional Winner for Scotland and Northern Ireland by Restaurant magazine in the competition to win the coveted title of College Restaurant of the Year 2007.

The main objective of our School of Ambition programme has always been to develop positive skills and attitudes within our young people and to show them just what they can do. The fact that we were being approached by the other finalists last night about placements for some of our students - including some of the biggest names in the Scottish hotel industry - confirms that we have achieved exactly that, and that is what it's all about.

We should all have tremendous pride in the quality and professional service at all times and we are indebted to Linda, her staff and Motherwell College, for making the professional hospitality course so successful.