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Mark Sims , Leeds College of Building Skillbuild Coordinator , said : “ This year , we had 24 of our learners compete at the regional competition . We were overwhelmed and proud to have nine of these participants secure their place in the national finals .
“ The dedication , hard work , and commitment applied by both learners and staff is second-to-none and evidenced by the standard of work produced in the training sessions leading up to the national finals . We , as a college , would like to wish each and every competitor the best of luck and hopefully our learners will secure some medal places .”
Nikki Davis , Leeds College of Building Principal & CEO , added : “ Everyone at Leeds College of Building is delighted with the performance of the students who took part in the regional finals . Those progressing to the national finals have the opportunity to test their skills against the best in the country and we wish all of them every success .
“ All those who took part in the regionals demonstrated exceptional commitment and professionalism , and we were very proud of every one of our students . SkillBuild is a fantastic opportunity for students to really showcase their skills , push them to the limit , and possibly go on to represent their country at WorldSkills .”
Leeds College of Building has an exceptional track record in SkillBuild competitions . Three students took medal positions at last year ’ s national final . At a special award ceremony presented by Steph McGovern in her Packed Lunch studio , apprentice Zara Dupont received gold in the Plastering and Drywall Systems category . Fellow students Kyron Sharlotte and Aaron Brady also took bronze positions in Roof Slating & Tiling and Wall & Floor Tiling respectively , while Aeron Murray received Highly Commended in Roof Slating & Tiling .
Tim Balcon , CITB Chief Executive , said : “ I ’ m delighted to be hosting this year ’ s SkillBuild National Final at the Marshall Arena , providing us with the opportunity to invite members of the public to observe the incredible talent coming through to industry . SkillBuild is a wonderful initiative which aims to attract a diverse range of recruits , and with the current skills gap , it places even greater importance on the competition and its ability to promote construction careers to a wider audience .
“ SkillBuild not only helps young people to grow personally , increasing their confidence and social skills , but it ’ s also proven to assist them professionally by developing their technical and employability skills . While a challenging experience , if you ’ re serious about a career in construction , SkillBuild is an excellent opportunity . I wish all our National Finalists the best of luck , and we look forward to seeing you later this month !”
See the full list of finalists on Go Construct , and visit the Eventbrite page to get tickets to attend SkillBuild .
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