Patrick Williams from Dinas Powys, Cardiff beat the cream of the country’s building apprentices to become the UK’s Apprentice of the year at this year’s 10th Master Builder of the Year Awards which took place today.
Phil Spencer, presenter of C4 Location, Location, Location presented the award to Patrick Williams, an apprentice at Leadbitter Construction, for his exemplary wood work and dedication to furthering his skills.
Patrick was the youngest apprentice ever taken on the by the company. In his three year apprenticeship he has completed NVQ levels two and three in Wood Occupations, achieved the Foundation and Intermediate Construction Awards with distinction and received his Advanced Construction Award.
Jeannette Hawrot of Leadbitter Construction said: “Patrick is an unsung hero who quietly and unassumingly gets on with whatever he is asked to do. He is committed, hardworking and high achieving. I was delighted to put Patrick forward for this award, as I felt he really deserved recognition for all he achieved while working with us.”
The 10th Master Builder of the Year Awards, a nationwide search by the Federation of Master Builders to find the best builders in Britain, tests the entrant’s technical ability together with their customer service skills.
Patrick Williams triumphed to win the national award in the Apprentice of the Year category, which is supported by ConstructionSkills, TradePoint and the CCATF (Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force).
Speaking at the Awards ceremony, FMB director general, Richard Diment said: “In this our 10th year, we are delighted to be able to reward an apprentice who shows such dedication, determination and professionalism.We are impressed not just by Patrick’s trade skills, evidenced by his excellent grades, but also by his enthusiasm and eagerness to gain a breadth of practical experience. He will without doubt be a great addition to the construction industry.”
“Our congratulations go to Patrick for this well-deserved award, but equally our thanks go to Leadbitter Construction who nominated him for the award,” said Richard.
Patrick Williams wins a cheque for £1,000.
Patrick’s employer was presented with a £250 voucher by TradePoint and a certificate by CCATF, in recognition of the vital role that employers play in developing the next generation of skilled construction professionals.
All the Regional winners were also presented with £50 vouchers by TradePoint.
See the other winners here