Wiltshire College construction students put their skills to the test

Construction students at Wiltshire College & University Centre gained a taste of working on a real construction project as they tackled a three-day skills competition designed to prepare them for apprenticeships and employment.

Working in mixed teams within the College’s industry-standard workshops, Level 1 and Level 2 students from plumbing, carpentry and bench joinery collaborated to complete the fit-out of a utility room. Following the same first-fix and second-fix stages used on construction sites, students planned the work, coordinated with different trades and completed each stage to a professional standard.

The competition brought together students from different courses and levels at the College’s Chippenham campus, many of whom had not worked together before. As they tackled the challenge, they built new friendships, learned to trust one another and gained first-hand experience of the collaboration needed to succeed in the construction industry.

Throughout the event, local employers and industry organisations visited the College to watch the students in action, speak with them about careers and see the high standard of work being produced. Representatives from CITB, Business West and The Links also attended, strengthening links between education and industry.

Deputy Head of Construction and The Built Environment, Mel Sweetman said: “By bringing together students from different courses and levels, the competition gave them the opportunity to experience how construction projects are delivered in industry while building relationships with people they hadn’t worked with before. It has been fantastic to watch them grow in confidence, support one another and produce work to such a high standard over the three days.”

Alongside the utility room challenge, bricklaying students completed their own end-of-year skills activities, including a blind bricklaying challenge where teammates relied entirely on verbal instructions, and a relay race to beat their tutors while working against the clock. The activities tested accuracy, coordination and communication in a fun and competitive environment.

Head of Construction and The Built Environment, Stephen Gingell said: “Over the three days, the students demonstrated not only excellent practical skills but also the teamwork and collaboration that are essential in the construction industry. Every trade relies on another, and seeing students support each other, rise to the challenge and produce such a high standard of work has been fantastic. They should all be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.”

Following the competition, a prize-giving celebration recognised every team for taking part, with awards presented to the highest-scoring teams following assessments by College staff and industry representatives. Among the winners was plumbing student Murtaza Nasiri, 18, from Melksham, whose team impressed the judges throughout the competition.

Murtaza said: “The competition taught me what it’s really like to work on a construction site with other people. We had to work together, help each other and make sure we finished the job as a team.”

“I want to become a plumber, and this has given me experience that will help me in the future.”

As the final challenge of the academic year, the event provided students with the opportunity to put everything they had learned into practice before breaking up for the summer. While many will return to College in September to continue developing their skills, others now leave ready to begin apprenticeships and careers in the construction industry, taking with them not only valuable practical experience but also the confidence and connections built throughout the competition.