Skillbuild - Northern Ireland 

Background

The Skillbuild Northern Ireland National Finals Competition is hosted annually each spring involving thirteen crafts from the Construction Industry and is the largest multi-trade competition for young students and apprentices aged 21 and under in the country. Apprentices who do well enough in their chosen trade have the opportunity to go on and compete at UK National Level and then onto WorldSkills - a once in a lifetime opportunity!

WorldSkills is held every two years in various parts of the world. 2011 saw the venue as the Excel Centre in London.  Hundreds of young skilled people accompanied by their teachers and trainers, gathered together from around the world to compete and test themselves against demanding international standards. They represented the best of the best, drawn from regional and national skills competitions held in 58 countries/regions.  For Competitors it’s the experience of a lifetime and recognition of outstanding achievement. For visitors, the skills competitions are a truly inspiring experience. A massive 200,000 visitors attended the event in London!

In 2011 Northern Ireland had three finalists competing:  Philip Green from Belfast Metropolitan College, Belfast competing in Bricklaying; Stuart Millar from South Eastern Regional College, Lisburn competing in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning and Ian McMahon from North West Regional College, Limavady competing in Wall & Floor Tiling.  These three apprentices have already excelled in their trades, being top performers in Regional and National Competitions and then going through an intensive training and selection process to be selected for Squad UK in their chosen skill trade. Visit our News & Events pages to follow their amazing journey!

Mission Statement