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Local apprentices shine at Skills Show

20 local apprentices representing the Built Environment travelled to NEC Birmingham last week to compete at the WorldSkills UK Show and successfully brought home 7 medals.

The Skills Show is the UK’s largest skills and careers event and is designed to reward talent and drive up levels of expertise in further education.

More than 500 talented young people took part in competitions covering 61 different skills over three days at Birmingham’s NEC in front of thousands of visitors.

From South Eastern Regional College, Jemual Chamos achieved Gold in bricklaying, William Campbell, Gold in carpentry and Luke Courtney and Chris Hoy Gold and Silver respectively in refrigeration.  From South West College, Stuart Graham achieved Gold in electrical installation, Gareth Elliott Bronze in joinery and Daniel McAteer Bronze in plastering and dry wall systems.

Highly commended in their categories were Christopher Jeffery, cabinet making,  Richard Shannon, joinery from Southern Regional College and Jamie Howe, joinery Southern Regional College.

Congratulating the Northern Ireland winners, Economy Minister Simon Hamilton said: “Northern Ireland’s success at this UK competition is testament to the impressive talent, hard work and commitment of our young people coupled with the high standards of training in our colleges. Our competitors have once again shown they have the skills to succeed and excel against the UK’s most talented apprentices and learners.”

Barry Neilson, Chief Executive CITB NI said, “I would like to extend my congratulations once again to all of those who were competing at the Skills Show 2016. The fact that Northern Ireland has excelled again especially in the construction and built environment trades reflects the high standards of training in our colleges and the commitment to excellence demonstrated by the competitors.  All these competitors are already winners of local skills competitions, many of whom have come through our own Skillbuild NI regional competition in order to qualify for this level. Northern Ireland enjoys an impressive track record at skills competitions at regional, national and world level, and our local competitors’ success at the Skills Show builds on this outstanding record of achievement”

Those who excel in the WorldSkills UK Show competitions may be invited to join the training programme to represent the UK at the international WorldSkills competitions, which take place every two years in cities around the world. The next WorldSkills competitiion will be held in Abu Dhabi in 2017.

Pictured is Jemual Chamos Gold medal winner with Oliver Farrell CITB GB