BIRMINGHAM Metropolitan College hosted Carillion’s Apprentice of the Year competition for the fourth year running, laying the foundations for building construction skills for the future.

The event, held at the Advanced Technology Campus in Brierley Hill, saw nearly 50 Carillion apprentices in bricklaying, carpentry and joinery and painting and decorating from 18 training centres up and down the country competing against each other for the day.

The groups were judged on their skill and competency in their chosen trade. Teams attended from as far away as Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Bristol.

Six Birmingham Metropolitan College students took part, with five winning.

Richard Felton took first place in the senior painting and decorating category. Daniel Hart was first in the new entrant carpentry and joinery category.

Jonathan Bishop was first in new entrant brickwork. Matthew Holmes was first in the senior brickwork category, while Shaun Griffin was third in new entrant brickwork.

Kevin Stevens, faculty director for construction at the Brierley Hill Campus, said: “Our excellent facilities, including well-equipped workshops, at the Advanced Technology Campus are ideal for this competition and we were pleased to host the event again.

“What’s even more pleasing is to see our home-grown apprentices sweeping the board in every category, showing the high standards and quality of teaching and learning in the construction trades at Birmingham Metropolitan College.

“I’m really proud of all the students who took part in the competition and know that they will go from strength to strength when they move into full-time employment with the company.”

Debbie Southall, regional operations manager for Carillion Training Services (CTS) Central and North West regions, said: “Carillion Training Services have been funding and organising this regional event for the last four years.

“We take part in Skillbuild to provide our students with the opportunity to showcase the skills they have learnt while training and studying with CTS. We recognise the importance of celebrating the achievements of our students, at all levels.

“Skillbuild is a great platform for this. Such a high-profile event can lead to students taking part in national and international heats. We were extremely proud of the CTS students who took part this year and look forward to training this year’s new recruits, creating a new cohort of entrants for the 2014 competition’”