Posted: 08/06/09
College to host regional carpentry competition
West Nottinghamshire College is hosting the regional heats of a prestigious carpentry competition this weekend.
The Merlane Trophy East Midlands heats will be held on Saturday 13 June at the College’s £8.1m Construction and Logistics Skills Academy in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
The Merlane Trophy Competition was first held in 1972 and has showcased some of the most talented young carpenters and joiners in the country – many of whom have gone on to highly-successful careers.
This weekend’s regional heats will see students from colleges in Mansfield, Chesterfield, Grantham, Lincoln, Boston, Sheffield, North Lindsay and Gainsborough put forward their top joinery students for the competitions. Winners will have the opportunity to progress to the national finals, where cash prizes of up to £150 can be won, as well as the opportunity to enter other competitions such as the UK Skills Olympics.
Representing West Nottinghamshire College in the regional heats will be level 3 bench joinery student Adam Thompson, 19, Kane Drabble, 18, who is studying level 2 in site joinery, and level 1 carpentry and joinery student Scott Stevens, 17.
Dennis Vaughn, lecturer in wood occupations at the college said, “We are delighted to be putting three of our students forward for the regional competition.
“All three impressed tutors during our recent college joinery competitions and proved they could not only produce work to a high standard but also cope well under high-pressure. I’m confident they will display the same skills and attributes in the regional heats.”
As well as hosting the regional Merlane Trophy Competitions on Saturday, the College is also holding its own brickwork and painting and decorating competitions and hosting an open event for potential students to tour its Construction and Logistics Skills Academy and speak with representatives of firms including Leyland Paints, Crown, ConstructionSkills and Wickes.
The Construction and Logistics Skills Academy – which was visited by HRH The Prince of Wales in February – provides some of the best training facilities in the sector and gives students access to state-of-the-art technology.
