Posted: 16/04/13
Students build on their skills at construction challenge
Students from colleges across the region will be battling it out in the UK's biggest construction skills competition next week.
West Nottinghamshire College is hosting the regional heats of this year’s SkillBuild, aimed at finding Britain’s best trainee tradesperson, on Tuesday (23 April).
Taking place at its Construction and Logistics Skills Academy, the event will see 120 students from 20 colleges competing in a wide range of craft-based challenges including bricklaying, cabinet-making, carpentry, joinery, plastering and tiling, and painting and decorating.
The college – which is hosting the event for the third successive year – is entering 11 students into the heats.
Matthew Sims will compete in the new entrant bricklaying event, while Ryan Robinson will compete in the senior bricklaying challenge. Elliot Wallhead will be putting his carpentry skills to the test in the new entrant section and Cory Ratcliffe will be entering the carpentry senior competition. Lewis Ferrer is entering joinery at new entrant level and Ben Thompson at senior.
Competing in the new entrant section for painting and decorating are Nicholas Edwards and Hayley Waterhouse, while Rebecca Harrington and Anna Lodge head up the senior section. Finally Scott Jacques will compete in the plastering new entrant competition.
Success at the SkillBuild regional heats will give entrants the opportunity to challenge for a place on the WorldSkills UK team and progress to compete at the 2015 WorldSkills competition in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
Members of the public are welcome to attend Tuesday’s event, which runs from 10am – 4pm at the venue in Julias Way in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Also attending to watch the action unfold and enjoy taster sessions are pupils from local secondary schools.
Head of construction and building services, Julian Walden, said: “Once again we’re looking forward to welcoming a host of talented students to this prestigious event.
“There’s a wide-range of crafts being showcased and we all enjoy watching the range of skills being displayed.
“I have every confidence in our entrants and wish them great success and would like to extend a warm welcome to all members of the public and the building industry to watch the competitions unfold.”
SkillBuild has been running for more than 20 years as a way of recognising the importance of trainees and their skills.
