Ben Moralee, an 18-year-old construction apprentice from Morpeth, has emerged victorious in the regional qualifier of SkillBuild and is off to the national final in Milton Keynes in November.
Ben, who is currently honing his talents at Northumberland Skills and working as an apprentice for Lawson and Cowell, triumphed in the regional qualifier earlier this month, earning a place at the SkillBuild National Final.
With over 1,000 registrations spanning 10 construction trades and 19 regional qualifiers, Ben's exceptional skills and dedication set him apart from the competition to progress to the national final. Ben will be representing the region in the dry lining category final, set to take place at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes this November.
The upcoming national final will see the top eight contenders from each trade category compete one last time for the chance to be crowned the ultimate winner in their respective fields.
SkillBuild, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), is the largest and longest running multi-trade skills competition in the UK open to construction learners and apprentices and drawing participants from across the country.
This annual competition starts with each competitor taking part in one of 19 regional qualifiers, which are run UK-wide, from April to July each year. These one-day events bring together apprentices and learners, with the overall eight highest-scoring competitors in each specialist skill going through to the next round – the SkillBuild National Final.
The last regional qualifier took place on 4th July, and this week the top eight scoring competitors in each category across the UK have been announced. These eight competitors will compete at the SkillBuild National Final in November.
18-year-old Ben Moralee is a second-year apprentice studying with Northumberland Skills at their Construction & Building Services Campus in Seghill. Ben works for Lawson and Cowell and began studying interior systems installation with Northumberland Skills in December 2022.
Ben said: "Participating in SkillBuild has been an incredible experience. The competition was intense, and it pushed me to apply everything I've learned during my apprenticeship.
“I'm grateful for the support from Northumberland Skills and Lawson and Cowell, which helped me prepare for this event. Winning the regional qualifier is a huge achievement, and I'm looking forward to hopefully competing in the National Final."
The competition was held at York College on 2nd July 2024 and the day started with a 5am wakeup call, then 6-hour build time at the qualifier event.
To complete the model, Ben was required to: read construction drawings showing multiple projections, mark out according to the plans, construct a free-standing metal framed model, plan/design the framework for a bulkhead ceiling before constructing it, apply plasterboard, fit fibreglass insulation, then finish with tape and joint.
Preparing for weeks in the buildup to the competition, Ben has been working particularly hard by practicing from plans used in previous years.
Stevan Dawson, construction lecturer at Northumberland Skills, said: “I am so proud of Ben claiming first place at the York qualifier for SkillBuild.
“Throughout his training and the competition, Ben has been confident and dedicated to improving his skills. His positive attitude and dedication have truly paid off. Ben is a credit to Northumberland Skills and his employer, Lawson and Cowell.”
Stephen Lawson, director at Lawson and Cowell, said: “We are so thrilled that Ben’s professional skills are being recognised – he is ready to represent not only our business, but Northumberland Skills and the future of our industry on the national stage.
“This event not only highlights individual talent it also emphasises the importance of quality and precision in the trade sector, something we really value here at Lawson and Cowell.
“Good luck Ben! We’re all rooting for you!”
Find out more about applying for study programmes and apprenticeships in construction and building services from Northumberland Skills at www.northumberlandskills.co.uk/construction
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