A former Newcastle College apprentice is set to compete in the finals of a prestigious national skills competition on Wednesday 20 November.
Plastering Apprentice Niall Hancock fought off regional competitors earlier this year to reach the SkillBuild National Final, the nation’s largest construction skills, apprenticeships, and careers event.
Learners from across the UK competed in 19 regional qualifiers and now the top eight students from each discipline – including Niall – are heading to Milton Keynes to battle it out for a final time to be crowned the winner in their trade.
Niall secured his place in the finals after spending the best part of a year attending various skills competitions to hone his talent, beginning with NCG Skills. Since winning his regional heat, he has completed his apprenticeship and now works for Ashington-based Eco Surface Design.
Plastering Programme Leader David Willis said: “I’m so proud of Niall for getting to the national finals again. He came third in last year’s competition, and he was determined to enter again to see if he could get the top spot this time. He’s worked so hard, and he absolutely deserves this recognition.”
Niall added: “Being part of the final is a massive achievement for me personally, especially after falling short last year due to problems I had with my gig stick. Preparing and taking part in this competition has helped me to take my work to a higher standard as there isn’t much margin for error especially with the time scale given.”
“I’ve been speaking to experienced plasterers including Keith Langton from British Gypsum as well as taking part in some special masterclasses. I’ve also been preparing my freestyle section of the final where I have two hours to create a piece of work with two plastering techniques.”
The SkillBuild National Final will take place in Milton Keynes on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 November.