A Level 2 Bricklaying Apprentice has won the Guild of Bricklayers regional competition in Chichester and will compete in the national finals in Sunderland next month.
24-year-old Brandon is in the first year of his bricklaying apprenticeship with his employer CoTrain and learning provider Eastleigh College, part of South Hampshire College Group. Despite being new to the field, his dedication to learning and improving made a strong impression. He was put forward for the senior Guild of Bricklayers competition after just eight months, pitting five bricklaying apprentices against each other in a competitive environment. Brandon’s victory was made more notable by the fact that most competitors were significantly further along in their apprenticeship journey, and his achievement was met with a trophy and a brand-new set of tools.
Brandon commented: “I was surprised to be put forward for this senior competition, given how early I was into my apprenticeship, but it’s been a great experience and I find this work really rewarding. My goals for the future once I finish college are to get my blue CSCS card and dive into the industry. As for the finals, I just want to enjoy it and not put expectations on myself – anything more after this would be a bonus.”
Jon Smith, Bricklaying Trainer at Eastleigh College, has worked with Brandon since he started his apprenticeship. Jon said: “We have had good success as a College Group in recent years in this competition and I believe that’s down to our quality over quantity approach. Brandon has made fantastic progress on his apprenticeship and should feel very proud. I look forward to supporting him at the national finals in Sunderland next month.”
After ten regional heats were staged across the country, the focus now turns to the national finals of the Guild of Bricklayers 2025 competition, which will be held at Sunderland College on 5th June. Ten finalists, all winners of their respective heats, will compete for the overall title, producing a project that incorporates all the skills they would have picked up throughout their apprenticeship and workplace experience.
For more information on the Guild of Bricklayers competition, please click here.
For any further queries, please contact the College at [email protected].
