A digital skills trainer with housing and care provider Blackwood is celebrating his success having scooped a prestigious industry award, after just one year in the job.

Shawn More, 27, from Edinburgh, graduated with an MSc in Human Resource Management last year and landed the unique position with Blackwood soon after, having spent just three weeks there on placement.

Now, Shawn has secured the top spot at the HR Network Scotland National Awards 2016, beating two other finalists to win the title of HR Graduate of the Year.

Blackwood is believed to be the first housing and care provider to introduce the digital skills trainer role, in which Shawn is responsible for the creation and delivery of training programmes to instruct employees and customers on using Blackwood’s new smart technology enabled care system, CleverCogs.

Shawn said: “I’m still taking it all in and I’m absolutely honoured to have won this award after only a short amount of time in my role.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time so far with Blackwood, interacting with all staff and customers, and helping them to find new ways of working and understanding the interactive, CleverCogs technology.

“It’s definitely an inspiring time to be a part of the organisation as it gears up to revolutionise the housing and care sector with its impressive reputation of service quality and new innovations.”

Blackwood’s CleverCogs care system explores how technology can be integrated with professional care services to enhance independent living. It ensures service users are constantly connected with friends, relatives and carers. Likewise, connected touch screen devices influence everything in customers’ daily lives, from the ability to open curtains, switch on TVs, provide medication reminders and order shopping.

Fanchea Kelly, chief executive at Blackwood, said: “We are delighted that Shawn has won the HR Graduate of the Year award and we couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of the title.

“Shawn is an important part of the Blackwood team and contributes significantly as we continue to develop the organisation and build our reputation of delivering high quality services and supporting our customers to live full and independent lives.

“The pace of change in technology is unprecedented and the potential for improving and enhancing the lives of the people we work with is incredible. We are determined not only to keep up with that, but to be at the very forefront of this area, and Shawn plays a big part in helping us achieve our goal.”