More than 100 trainees from across the North West gathered at Strabane's CRAFT Training Centre to showcase their talent, as part of Northern Ireland's Skillbuild regional competition. This was the first year the regional end of the annual competition was held in Strabane and featured trainees from their successful Derry branch based in London Street.
The prestigious event takes the winners of the regional competition to a national contest in Enniskillen in May. Winners of this heat will represent their country in the UK Skills Competition, held in London.
Six judges – specialising in bricklayi
ng, plastering, painting and decorating, joinery, carpentry and cabinet making – assessed 40 first to third year CRAFT trainees. Each entrant was given a written specification and drawings with a tight six hour deadline to complete their piece. The successful candidates had to show their ability to work under pressure, precision to detail and had to produce work of an extremely high standard.
“Government agencies attended including Education & Training Inspectorate, CITB, Construction Skills NI, Dept of Employment & Learning and Northern Ireland Careers Service,” a CRAFT representative said.
“CRAFT Training were privileged to host this prestigious event and were delighted at the success of all entrants. Seamus, Marie and all staff at CRAFT Training would like to wish all of their winners the very best of luck in the Northern Ireland finals to be held in Enniskillen in May 2010.”
The winners included: Lee Scobie (carpentry); Christopher Coyle (cabinet-making); Seamus Devine (joinery); Anthony Connolly (painting & decorating); Paddy Mc Colgan (plastering) and Sean Patton (bricklaying).
Painting and decorating apprentice, Anthony Connolly achieved the highest overall score of any painting trainee in Northern Ireland as well as the potential for a further three painting entrants to take part in the Enniskillen heat.
