Bradford College

Competition ‘Builds’ a Brighter Future

The Construction Team at Bradford College hosted The Guild of Bricklayers regional competition at the College’s Trinity Green Campus.   Junior and Senior competitors from colleges across the Yorkshire region battled it out to win a place in the national finals.

Participants competed to demonstrate their practical skills by completing a test model that has been devised by the Guild of Bricklayers to enhance tolerance levels and develop student’s capabilities from competent to excellent.

Talking about the competition, Peter Elmes, President of the Guild of Bricklayers said: “This competition offers a great opportunity to showcase brickwork skills and competitors should be proud to represent their colleges.”

The Guild of Bricklayers was founded in 1932 with the aims of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship in brickwork. All its Journeymen and Master Members have obtained their institutions qualifications and are practising bricklayers, building supervisors, managers, clerk of works, technical college lecturers or instructors.

Michele Sutton, Bradford College Principal, OBE said: “The College is delighted to host this regional competition. We would like to thank all of the sponsors and employers involved in the competition and the competitors for taking part.”

The College has worked with a number of local employers who have sponsored the competition, including: Wienerberger, Baggeridge, Terca, A.C.Jones, ATA Builders & Plumbers Merchants, Builder Scrap, AGC Tools & Fixings, Naylor Myers, Edge Material and Tarmac. 

Co-organisers, Michael Page and Mark Bicker who work in the Construction Department at Bradford College said: “This competition gives students a real opportunity to represent their college at such a high level. We chose two students to represent Bradford College; Michael Panter represented the College in the Senior heat and Daniel Taylor was entered into the Junior heat. It has been a real team effort organising this event and we’re pleased with the huge amount of support we’ve received from local businesses and The Guild of Bricklayers.”

The winners from the Junior and Senior heat were delighted to receive a cheque, an assortment of tools donated from local businesses and the chance to represent their college at a national level. In the Junior heat, Michael Night from York College, scooped first place in the prestigious competition, Adam Mollart from Barnsley came second and Ainsley Fulwood from Doncaster came third.  In the Senior heat, Jack Hall from York College came first, whilst Cameron Bishop from Leeds came second and Nigel Aldridge from Calderdale came third.

• Brickwork Competition Gallery