The UK’s best trainee tradesmen and women will converge on Preston this week to take part in the finals of the annual SkillBuild competition.

Thousands of trainee construction industry professionals across a range of ten disciplines will compete at the Fulwood campus of Preston College to be named the best young practitioner of their trade.

The ten disciplines are bricklaying, cabinet making, carpentry, dry walling, joinery, painting and decorating, plastering, roofing, stonemasonry and floor tiling. SkillBuild is organised by the industry skills council, ConstructionSkills, and is aimed at motivating talented young people in the construction industry.

ConstructionSkills regional delivery manager, Mick Hamill, told the Lancashire Telegraph, “We are so pleased to be able to bring together and motivate the country’s most promising construction trainees in this nationwide competition.

“SkillBuild encourages excellence, helps to raise standards in training and is an exciting way to showcase the outstanding talent coming into the construction industry.”

The young people qualified for the finals by competing in one of fourteen regional heats, and they represent more than 184 colleges and training centres from all over the UK.

The best young bricklayer will win the special Peter Vickers Shield, while the best overall competitor will be recognised with the Frank Eaton Award.