George, aged 19, is completing a two-year Level 2 bricklaying apprenticeship with housebuilder Taylor Wimpey which sees him work on-site with the company while also completing his studies at the college, which is part of WCG (Warwickshire College Group).

SkillBuild, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board, is the largest multi-trade skills competition in the UK for construction trainees and apprentices.

The competition saw George tasked with building a complex brick wall with various decorative features in just five hours.

Despite having to rebuild a section of his wall part way through the competition, George was awarded third place and is one of just eight students from across the UK to progress to the national finals which will be held in Milton Keynes in November. 

In this, competitors will need to complete a project, set by SkillBuild’s expert panel of judges, that is designed to test their knowledge, skills and abilities. They must finish the project within an 18-hour time frame across three days.

George, who has just moved in to the second year of his apprenticeship, said: “I’m really pleased to have come in third place in the Midlands competition, particularly after having to take down a section of my wall.

“I’m now really excited, and a bit nervous, about the national finals. It’s a three-day competition and I’ll be in Milton Keynes for the whole week, so it should be a great event.

“I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship – everyone at Taylor Wimpey is really supportive and considerate, and Moreton Morrell is a beautiful college with great facilities – it’s a pleasure to be there.

“After my apprenticeship I’m really keen to have a career in the industry, and potentially specialise in artistic bricklaying as I develop my skills.”

Petra Gordon, Apprenticeship Mentor in Construction at WCG, said: “We would like to congratulate George on his success in the SkillBuild competition.

“He has a mature attitude to both his practical and theory sessions, and Taylor Wimpey thinks very highly of him and his skills.

“He not only has skills in bricklaying, but in communicating with other trades, problem solving and is very reliable.

“He is already putting together a strong portfolio of evidence of his work, so would certainly be capable of finishing his apprenticeship before the end of the two years.

“We would like to wish him every success in the national finals of the competition, and his future career in the industry.”

Michelle Reid, Divisional Apprenticeship Manager at Taylor Wimpey Midlands, added: “We are very proud of George’s achievements in the SkillBuild competition and wish him all the best for national finals.

“He is an enthusiastic and mature apprentice, who has been driven since he started with Taylor Wimpey in September 2023.  

“He is a natural bricklayer and we hope he has a long and successful career within the construction industry.”

To find out more about brickwork courses at WCG, visit www.wcg.ac.uk/study.