Ryan Nimmo shortlisted for Glasgow Caledonian University’s inaugural Graduate Apprenticeship Impact Award

Ryan Nimmo, a software developer at OCS, has been shortlisted for Glasgow Caledonian University‘s inaugural Graduate Apprenticeship Impact Award 2026. The nomination recognises the Elizabeth line mobile app he built for his honours project, which brought two legacy apps used by OCS cleaners and engineers into one, connected directly to OCS’s facilities management systems. Ryan finished his four-year graduate apprenticeship in software development with first-class honours, and his graduation ceremony is on 25th November.

The awards presentation takes place on 12th November at the university. Ryan is taking his workplace mentor, Gary Dair.

We spoke to Ryan ahead of the presentation to hear his story in his own words.

How does a graduate apprenticeship work?

It was a four-year degree in software development at Glasgow Caledonian University. I worked a four-day week as a software developer, contributing to real projects, and spent one day a week at university. Coursework, assignments and exams took a fair bit of my own time too, particularly in my final year, when I was balancing my honours project with my normal work.

One of the biggest advantages was how the two complemented each other. I would learn something at university and then get the chance to apply it at work, or something at work would help me understand what we were studying. I finished with first-class honours, which I’m really proud of.

Why Did You Choose That Route?

I’d done an HND in Business Management at college, and towards the end of it a friend from school who was on a graduate apprenticeship in cybersecurity suggested I try something similar, as I was interested in technology. I applied and got in. I can’t thank him enough.

You get a degree while building real industry experience, you earn a salary and your course fees are covered. Looking back, the professional experience has been the biggest advantage. You can sit through a lecture and pick up bits, but until you apply it to a real problem it’s hard to say you fully understand it. I’m a practical learner rather than a book learner.

What Does the App Do?

The contract is OCS cleaners and engineers servicing the stations along the Elizabeth line, including Paddington, Canary Wharf and Heathrow. Colleagues were working with two separate mobile apps for their day-to-day tasks. The person who built them left the company years ago, and they were difficult to maintain. The idea was to modernise them and bring them together into one app, which makes life easier for colleagues and reduces the maintenance behind the scenes. It’s built in .NET MAUI, a modern framework for building mobile apps.

Colleagues clock in and out and set which station they’re at, so it covers attendance. They see a list of work orders from our computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) system, with the photos and events attached to each one. They send an update and it feeds through an API I built into the CAFM system, which closes the job and sends an update to the customer. Cleaners also carry out cleaning audits in the app, confirming that the stairs, the windows and so on have been cleaned to a satisfactory standard.

Was It Built From Scratch?

Yes. The two original apps were bespoke, written years ago in a language we don’t work with every day, so they weren’t up to modern software standards. The focus of my honours project was to bring them together in a modern framework.

What Has Changed Since It Launched?

Before the app, work was being missed on the contract, and it wasn’t an efficient way of getting work out to colleagues on the ground. Since the rollout, that has stopped. It also looks and feels better to use, with a modern interface, loading animations and colours that carry meaning.

Gary Dair, an Application Support Specialist at OCS, is Ryan’s workplace mentor.

“Ryan went away and modernised an app we couldn’t easily change, and he has needed very little guidance to do it. The original dated back to around 2017 and its developer had left. His version is more efficient and a better experience for the colleagues using it. What he’s doing is well above what’s expected at year four of a degree. I’m really proud of what he has achieved, a first-class degree and now this award shortlisting. He’s been a breath of fresh air and a real asset to the team.”

What Is the Graduate Apprenticeship Impact Award?

It’s a new award from Glasgow Caledonian University, so this is its first year. It recognises graduate apprentices who have applied what they’ve learned to make a meaningful, measurable difference in the workplace. I was nominated for my work across the apprenticeship, particularly my final-year honours project, which was this app. I found out I’d been shortlisted in late October.

What Would You Say to a Friend Considering a Graduate Apprenticeship?

I’d absolutely recommend it. You learn things that aren’t taught in the classroom, like working with people, managing your priorities, communicating across the business and dealing with it when things don’t go to plan. You need to be prepared to put the work in. Balancing a full-time job with university commitments and a social life is demanding, especially in fourth year. I’ve got four years of professional experience and a nomination for an award recognising the impact of my work, so I wouldn’t hesitate.

What’s Next?

Everyone asks me that now. I’ve been in education my whole young adult life, so for the moment I’m focusing on my career. I like what I do and there’s a lot of opportunity here. I’m joining a bigger team of developers.