A total of seven talented slating and tiling apprentices competed this year at the competition, which was held at Edinburgh College from 15 to 17 November. Each had earned their spot in the competition at the regional qualifiers held at colleges across the country earlier in the year.

The result follows Jordan’s success a year ago when he took victory at the inaugural Great British Slate Off.

The judges said that his SkillBuild victory reflected “his accuracy and natural ability”, reporting that the competitors were given a “testing design within the slating task which Jordan took on extremely well”, producing an impressive and well finished project.

Jacob Blight, a student at South Devon College, was awarded the silver medal, and Kyran Sharlotte, of Leeds College of Building, was awarded bronze. Kyran was also the winner of the ‘stretch test’—an additional challenge set to test calculation and measurement skills.

SkillBuild is the largest multi-trade competition in the UK for construction trainees and apprentices, and competitors are tested on their technical abilities, time management, character, and commitment. It is organised by CITB, with the Roof Slating and Tiling competition delivered by NFRC. Roofing materials were contributed by BMI, CUPA PIZARRAS, Hambleside Danelaw, Proctor Roofshield, Midland Lead, SR Timber and SIG Roofing.

Matt Timby, a member of the judging panel for the Roof Slating and Tiling competition, said: “The competitors were set a challenging task which was designed to take them out of their comfort zone. Each competitor took the task head on and came out with extremely good results.”

He added: “It was great to see them all apply themselves with such determination. They should all hold their heads high as shining ambassadors for the industry. I wish them all the best in their future careers.”

SkillBuild, often dubbed the ‘skills Olympics’, is delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in partnership with WorldSkills UK and offers a chance for trainees to compete in a bid to be crowned winner of their chosen trade.

Tim Balcon, CITB chief executive, said: “I’m delighted to have been able to attend yet another year of SkillBuild, my favourite day in the calendar. It’s fantastic to meet all the talented individuals and hear about their career aspirations. It’s so important that we support this next generation of talent coming through to industry, encouraging them to pursue their passions and reach their full potential.

“It’s initiatives like SkillBuild that really make a huge difference and I’d like to thank everyone involved in making this year’s competition possible. Many congratulations to all the winners and everyone who competed, you should all be incredibly proud of yourselves.”

Ben Blackledge, deputy chief executive, WorldSkills UK, said: “Congratulations to all the medal winners. It is a fantastic achievement, and we hope their success will inspire more people to consider an apprenticeship and technical training as a route to great career success.

“Using insights gained from our competition-based programmes, we work with our partners to raise standards in training, helping to drive economic growth across the UK.”

Audrey Cumberford, Edinburgh College principal and CEO, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in what has been a wonderful week, a truly inspirational platform of talent from across the UK. It has been a privilege for us to host the WorldSkills UK National Finals with SkillBuild and to welcome so many people from colleges and training providers across the UK.

“We have seen an incredibly high standard of skills performance from all competitors, which will be of inspiration to the many young people we had through our doors to spectate. We hope this has opened many eyes to careers in the Construction sector, and indeed to the benefits of competing in skills events such as these.

“Congratulations to all the winners and medallists, and our thanks to all who have made this a fantastic experience for our College.”

The winners from SkillBuild are:

Bricklaying

• Gold – Jago Gamblin
• Silver – James T-Coleman
• Bronze – Shaun Baker

Carpentry

• Gold – Andrew Elam
• Silver – Ben Price
• Bronze – Robin Luscombe
• Highly Commended – Eliot Duff
• Highly Commended – Osian James

Foundation Skills: Woodworking

• Gold – Sam Johnson
• Silver – Oliver Sayers
• Bronze – Dantina Gillett
• Highly Commended – Adam Szewc
• Highly Commended – Matthew McCarthy

Furniture and Cabinet Making

• Gold – Isaac Bingham
• Silver – Conor Ellis
• Joint Bronze – Ciaran Baggot & Thomas Knowles

Joinery

• Gold – Harry Scolding
• Silver – Jack Corner
• Bronze – Dion Evans

Painting and Decorating

• Gold – Jade Oakes
• Silver – Hattie Parnham
• Bronze – Jacqui Hawthorne
• Highly Commended – Joshua Thompson
• Highly Commended – Paul Mason

Plastering

• Gold – Jordan McQuillan
• Silver – Thomas Devine
• Bronze – Joshua Woosnam
• Highly Commended – Kieran Rowarth

Plastering and Drywall Systems

• Gold – Zara Dupont
• Silver – Hugh Treanor
• Bronze – Prince Senyah
• Highly Commended – Ben Henry
• Highly Commended – Ashley Carragher

Roof Slating and Tiling

• Gold – Jordan Maley
• Silver – Jacob Blight
• Bronze – Kyron Sharlotte
• Highly Commended – Aeron Murray

Stonemasonry

• Gold – Luke Maher
• Silver – Douglas Stevens
• Bronze – Marlene Lagnado
• Highly Commended – James Lewis

Wall and Floor Tiling

• Gold – Conor Nugent
• Silver – Morgan Nutt
• Bronze – Aaron Brady