St Austell apprentice cements a place in national bricklaying competition

A student from St Austell has been announced this year’s winner of the reginal Guild of Bricklayers junior competition, and has cemented his way to the finals held in London this June.

Jack Smith, Level 2 Bricklaying apprentice with TG Building Contractors from the St Austell campus of The Cornwall College Group (TCCG), was selected to compete at the Western regionals hosted at Swindon College, building his way up to the top of the leader board, finishing in first place.

Participants were put through rigorous rounds of bricklaying challenges, testing their skills, abilities and expertise. Commenting on the success, Jack said: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my apprenticeship recognised in the regional competition and I’m looking forward to representing Cornwall College on a national stage and showcasing the skills I’ve gained during my time at TCCG.”

The finals in London will bring together the top bricklaying apprentices from across the country, where they will compete for the prestigious title of Guild of Bricklayers national champion.

For Apprenticeship Programme Manager in Bricklaying at TCCG, Neil Cochrane, “Jack’s achievement is testament to his meticulous attention to detail, work ethic and punctuality.”

“Not only did Jack impress his fellow competitors in the competition but he also managed to impress the judges with his outstanding craftmanship. The judges had recognised the outstanding skillset that Jack has, and therefore this earnt him the well-deserved first place in the junior competition,” highlighted Neil.

He continued: “Jack’s hard work and passion for the trade is truly inspiring, and as his tutor I am extremely proud of what he has achieved. Wishing him best of luck at the nationals where I’m sure he will do the College proud.”

The Guild of Bricklayers competition will provide attendees with a chance to gain recognition and give them an opportunity to network with industry professionals and potential employers.

Employer, Thomas Gay, added: “Jack has been an invaluable part of our team. His dedication, skills and enthusiasm has been evident in every project he undertakes. We’re thrilled to see him achieve this recognition and have no doubt he’ll excel at the finals.”

To find out more about courses available at the Top FE College for education and training in Cornwall, visit www.cornwall.ac.uk