East England apprentices compete at UK’s largest construction competition

Three trainees representing colleges throughout the East of England have successfully secured their place at the National Final of the UK’s longest running construction competition SkillBuild.

Organised by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), SkillBuild has been showcasing the talent of construction trainees from across the UK for several decades. The competition involves a variety of challenges in a number of skills, including plastering, stonemasonry, painting and decorating and bricklaying.

After successfully competing in SkillBuild RegionalQualifiers, representing colleges from the East of England, the following will progress to the UK final held at the Birmingham NEC from November 15 – 17.

Smith and Essex Ltd

• Lewis Smith – Plastering

Colchester College

• Charlie Teager Neale – Furniture and Cabinet Making

The Carter Academy

• Jason Neale – Bricklaying

The three apprentices will now take on fellow finalists from across the UK. The overall goal is to win SkillBuild 2018 and to potentially secure a place in Team UK for the international competition WorldSkills Kazan 2019.

Andy Barron, CITB Partnerships Manager for the South East, said: “It is fantastic to see a group of talented people from the East of England making it to the final of SkillBuild 2018. This competition will give them the opportunity to showcase their skills and expertise on a national stage.

“SkillBuild is one of the many ways we can demonstrate the immense talent coming into the construction industry and attract more young people from the region into a rewarding career in our sector. I’m sure Lewis, Charlie and Jason have a bright future ahead of them in construction, wherever their career paths take them. I hope what this group has achieved with being shortlisted inspires more young people in the East of England to consider construction as their future career”