 TV tycoon Sir Alan Sugar isn’t the only person on the hunt for an apprentice; the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is looking for the best young talent in the construction industry, as it launches its search for the Apprentice of the Year.
The FMB wants apprentices who’ve been hired, not fired, for their outstanding ability and ’can do’ attitude. Unlike the TV series, it’s not down to apprentices to blow their own trumpets - nominations can only be made by their employer, customer, and tutor or by a member of the CITB-ConstructionSkills regional team.
The competition is run in conjunction with the FMB’s Master Builder of the Year Awards and is open to any UK apprentice in the construction industry, not just FMB members. This year the FMB is giving away a top prize of £1,000 to the winner.
"We at the FMB want to put talented young people from the construction industry in the spotlight", says Ian Davis, director general of the FMB. "The valuable contributions made by apprentices are often overlooked and this award recognises those who deserve it. It also helps promote a positive image in an industry threatened with skills shortages and encourages young people to consider a career in one of the construction trades."
CITB-ConstructionSkills and Screwfix Direct sponsor the Apprentice of the Year category. Entries do not have to be the biggest or most complicated projects; they just need to show the apprentice has used a high level of skill in their chosen trade.
Frazer Clement, business services director at CITB-ConstructionSkills, says: "As an industry currently seeking over 80,000 new recruits a year, it is vital that we take steps to encourage quality young people to take up careers in construction and show them the range of amazing jobs on offer. We are delighted to be supporting the Apprentice of the Year award to acknowledge outstanding apprentices and safeguard the future of the industry."
Simon O’Mahony, head of marketing at Screwfix Direct, says " As a company that has been supplying the trades for over 25 years, we believe it is important to develop and keep the next generation of trades people motivated to work within the industry, and are proud to be associated with the Apprentice of the Year award."
Last year saw some of the highest standard of entries ever before seen in the competition. Nineteen-year-old Christopher Ware, from Taunton, was chosen from hundreds of nominations for his good practical skills and ability to complete work on his own during the refurbishment of a Grade II listed building to win the ’Apprentice of the Year 2005’
CITB-ConstructionSkills representative Dawn Rattenbury, who followed Christopher through his apprenticeship said: "Chris consistently showed great politeness, good manners and a positive attitude towards his training, always being keen to learn and improve."
So whether you are a talented apprentice or you run a building firm that prides itself on training new recruits, you can find more details and download an entry form at www.fmb.org.uk/awards or by calling 08000 152 522. The closing date for entries is 31st July 2006 and the winners will be presented with their awards by Sarah Beeny, presenter of Channel 4's Property Ladder on November 9th 2006.
Master Builder of the Year 2006 is organised by the Federation of Master Builders in association with Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, and sponsored by American Express, Aon Ltd, B & CE Benefit Schemes, British Gypsum, CITB-ConstructionSkills, Energy Saving Trust, Envirowise, HBXL, Hewden, Hilti, Homebuilding and Renovating, K2 Conservatory Roof Systems, LABC, Paramount Group of Hotels, Professional Builder magazine, Sage Construction, Screwfix Direct, Travis Perkins, and Master Builder magazine.
First posted: 21 April 2006. Last modified: 26 April 2006.
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