Apprentices scoop top awards at major national competition

Shrewsbury Colleges Group said it was delighted at the outstanding achievements of Kyle Blower and Cai Curtis.

Each secured a gold medal at the prestigious SkillBuild 2024 competition, highlighting their exceptional skills and dedication to their respective trades.

SkillBuild, often referred to as the ‘Skills Olympics,’ is the largest multi-trade skills competition in the UK and is open to colleges nationwide.

It encompasses ten challenging events, set over 18 hours in three tough days of competition. 

Kyle triumphed in the bricklaying category, impressing judges with his attention to detail and speed.

Cai excelled in the carpentry category, showcasing exceptional skill in meeting the tests.

James Staniforth, principal of Shrewsbury Colleges Group, said: "We are incredibly proud of Kyle and Cai for their phenomenal success at SkillBuild 2024.

"The victories of Kyle and Cai underscore the importance of supporting vocational education and technical skills development in the UK. 

"This achievement also reflects the commitment of our staff to nurturing and developing talent, ensuring our students are equipped to thrive in their chosen industries.

"To have one winner from the college would be special, but to win two categories is quite exceptional."

Stuart Raine, curriculum director for Construction and Building Trades at the college, said: "Cai and Kyle’s achievements are remarkable, considering that the SkillBuild competition had over 1,000 registrations across ten construction trades and 19 regional heats, with 78 finalists each competing to become a champion of their trade.

"Kyle's success is particularly noteworthy as his father, Lee, also won Gold in the World Skills competition a few years ago."

Cai and Kyle's success also follows from the college’s gold medal success in Bricklaying last year in SkillBuild 2023, where Joe Shingler also won the gold medal.