Member Article

Leeds College of Building students showcase their skills

Students from Leeds College of Building have been named as some of the region’s best young tradespeople after taking first place positions in the regional heats of SkillBuild - the UK’s largest and longest running multi-trade competition that finds the very best construction talent in the country.

Winners from the College in the new entrant division were Ben Pick in joinery and Ryan Gill in wall and floor tiling. Ben and Ryan are now looking forward to participating in the senior division next year. Winners in this year’s senior division were Ameha Shewaye Bantiwered in plastering, Simon Lewis in carpentry and William Emerton in roof slating and tiling. The senior competition winners have a chance of competing in the national finals, which will be held at the Skills Show at the NEC in Birmingham on 17 - 19 November 2016, depending on the scores across all of the regional heats.

The Yorkshire & the Humber regional heats of SkillBuild – delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) – were held at Leeds College of Building and saw over 100 students from a range of trades compete over the course of a day.

Ian Billyard, Principal at Leeds College of Building, says: “It was an outstanding competition with students competing in bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, painting and decorating, plastering, drywall systems, roof slating and tiling and wall and floor tiling. We were thrilled to host the competition and it was a delight to see so many talented tradespeople in action at our North Street and Hunslet campuses.”

In addition to the first place wins a further six Leeds College of Building students were also placed. Jordan Oakley took second place in the painting and decorating new entrant category, Jordan Kitching took third place in the plastering senior category and Keiran Milnes and Sam Pickles finished in second and third place respectively in the wall and floor tiling senior category.

Roofing students from Leeds College of Building took all three top places in the roofing competition, with William Emerton, Harry Pennock and Harry Hillam-Thompson taking first, second and third places respectively. In total Leeds College of Building had 11 students placed in the competition with another student, Sean Simpson, taking first place on the same day in the SkillELECTRIC competition, which showcases the very best electricians in the country and is run by WorldSkills UK.

Ian adds: “The performances and achievements of our students are a reflection of their talent, hard-work and dedication to their trade, as well as the outstanding teaching they receive here at College, and we are confident that those who reach the national finals will do well.”

The national finals in November at Birmingham’s NEC will see more than 600 competitors battle it out in 60 construction skills competitions.

For more information about Leeds College of Building and its courses visit www.lcb.ac.uk or call 0845 129 7857.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Mortimer .