STUDENTS from Southern Regional College (SRC) have won a record haul of awards at Northern Ireland’s premier construction skills competition.
A total of 17 awards were presented to SRC during Skillbuild NI, the annual construction industry awards for apprentices.
At the event, held at the SRC campus in Portadown, more than 80 promising students from right across Northern Ireland pitched their skills to win 11 coveted titles ranging from brickwork to wall and floor tiling, SRC sailed home with six first-place medal titles and six second and third-place medals combined.
SRC was duly awarded the Skillbuild NI Department for the Economy Cup for the highest number of medals won in the competition as well as the Skillbuild NI Chairpersons Cup for the largest number of entries. SRC also won the prestigious David Cooper Trophy for biggest tally of medals secured across 40 years of competitions.
Skillbuild NI is run and governed by CITB NI and is supported by the Department for Economy and key local employers and organisations such as the Construction Industry Federation, City and Guilds, Colleges NI and the Federation of Master Builders, is designed not only to encourage trainees to improve their skills but to showcase examples of the quality workmanship produced locally.
Every apprentice is challenged to produce quality work in tight timeframes and are continuously assessed on their performance by an expert panel of industry professionals.
Maurice Johnston, Chairman CITB NI said: “CITB NI is proud to have been involved in construction skills competitions for 40 years. Skillbuild NI is about raising the status and standards of professional and technical education and training. We have a proud record of success at skills competitions not only on a local level but also on a regional, national and world level.
“Skillbuild NI gives all the competitors a chance to showcase their skills and we congratulate everyone who has taken part and those who have excelled in their trade.
Skillbuild NI couldn’t happen without the support of the local sponsors and training network and we extend our thanks to all who have helped the apprentices to be able to compete at this competition.”