College hosts prestigious Guild of Bricklayers competition

Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) was recently selected to host the regional heats of the prestigious Guild of Bricklayers Competition, welcoming colleges from across the Midlands. Held in the College’s bricklaying workshop at the Stephen Burke Construction Academy, the competition saw students compete in junior and senior categories, representing eight colleges from across the region.

BSDC was represented in both categories, with Ethan Keegan competing in the junior competition and Liam Chilton taking part in the senior category. In a strong field of competitors, Liam secured an impressive third-place finish in the senior category, reflecting the high standard of training and preparation at the College.

Liam is currently studying a Level 3 Apprenticeship with P&J Brickwork and after a few years perfecting his bricklaying skills, he has ambitions of working his way up in the construction industry to become a site manager. Talking about the competition, Liam said: “Today has been a very good experience; being nominated by my tutor to compete felt like a privilege. It’s a lot of pressure, you can see all the other competitors around you, but I would definitely do it again – it’s given me some great experience.”

During the competition, bricklaying students put the skills they have developed on their courses to the test as they battled it out for the regional title. The overall winners on the day were Samuel Holland from BMet in the junior category and Jaleel Hughes from Stoke on Trent College in the senior category, who will now go on to represent the Midlands in the national final in June.

The Guild of Bricklayers Competition aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of craftsmanship in brickwork. Students are presented with technical drawings and given a set time to reproduce intricate brickwork models, which are judged by industry experts. The competition highlights the continued importance of traditional construction skills, showcasing the next generation of skilled bricklayers preparing to enter the industry.

The competition was supported by a number of construction industry partners, with materials, catering and prizes contributed to support the delivery of the event. I.G Masonry Support and Keystone Lintels provided prizes for the top three competitors in both the junior and senior categories.

Ricky Wright, Lead Apprenticeship Trainer at BSDC, said: “We were proud to be selected to host the Guild of Bricklayers regional competition, which showcases the very best of technical skill, precision and craftsmanship. It was also fantastic to see our own students competing at such a high level, with Liam’s third-place finish demonstrating the quality of training and commitment shown by our learners. Events like this are invaluable for students, giving them the opportunity to test themselves against industry standards in a professional, competitive environment.”