Barnsley College Bricklaying student clinches first place in national competition

Barnsley College Bricklaying student, Adam Batty, is celebrating after winning the Guild of Bricklayers Senior Competition. Adam beat off stiff competition from 10 other students to win first place in the national final that took place at City of Liverpool College.

The Guild of Bricklayers is a national competition that showcases the bricklaying skills and craftsmanship of talented bricklaying trainees and apprentices from around the UK.

Competitors were given a technical drawing detailing the brickwork model they were required to build. With a time slot of six hours, Adam used his bricklaying knowledge to interpret the drawing to set out and build a wall using different styles of brickwork. He was judged on the accuracy, neatness and overall finish of the final build.

To win his place in the final, Adam also won his regional heat.

Adam said: “I am delighted to have won this competition and all the hard work and training I have undertaken has paid off. I have learned so much throughout my apprenticeship, my employment at Fountain Developments Ltd. and my time at College which has provided me with the skills and confidence to compete at national competitions. I have had a great experience at College and the tutors have been very supportive.”

Adam’s tutor Michael Lindsay added: “Adam put in a lot of hard work before the competition and he has shown excellent work ethic, dedication and attitude to improve and develop into a superb bricklayer. He thoroughly deserves the reward of winning a national competition.”

In addition to his success at the Guild of Bricklayers competition, Adam also took part in the SkillBuild Yorkshire Regional Qualifier earlier this year.

Out of a group of 40 bricklaying competitors, Adam was one of four participants to achieve a certificate of merit for his model wall. He is now waiting with anticipation until September when the names of the eight highest scoring competitors from all the SkillBuild regional competitions will be announced and invited to compete in the UK National SkillBuild final at the NEC in November.