Preston College Apprentices Excel at SkillBuild Regional Qualifiers

7 May 2026

Preston College is celebrating outstanding success after apprentices from our Construction School delivered exceptional performances at the SkillBuild Regional Qualifiers, held on 30 April.

SkillBuild, delivered by CITB, is the UK’s largest construction skills competition, designed to challenge apprentices against national standards and showcase the very best emerging talent in the industry. This year’s regional event brought together students from colleges across the region, with a consistently high standard of competition throughout the day.

Preston College apprentices competed across a broad range of construction disciplines, including Bricklaying, Painting & Decorating, Wall & Floor Tiling, Plastering, Carpentry, and Joinery. Each apprentice demonstrated professionalism, technical skill and commitment, representing the college with pride.

And, Preston College is delighted to announce podium finishes in three competitive skill areas.

Wall & Floor Tiling proved to be a strong category for the College, with Joseph Mort (of DM Tiling) securing 1st place, while Thomas Robinson (of Peter Robinson T/A CKC Property) achieved an impressive 3rd place finish.

In Carpentry, Oliver Bullen (of Sawdust Conversions) was awarded 1st place, exceeding the demanding competition brief and impressing judges with his accuracy and craftsmanship.

Joinery apprentice Henry Flowers (of Hare and Levitt Ltd) also delivered an excellent performance, earning 2nd place in a highly competitive field.

Steve Catterall, Lecturer for Wood Occupations at Preston College says, “We are incredibly proud of all of our apprentices who took part. The standard across the competition was extremely high, and our apprentices rose to the challenge brilliantly. These results are a testament to their dedication and the strength of our construction provision.”

A big well done to Jake Power, Ben Brown, Daniel Leach, Rourke Fletcher and Braydon Horrocks who also took part in SkillBuild and did the College proud.

Mark Taylor, Director of CSTEM at Preston College added: “These achievements reflect not only the apprentices’ hard work and determination but also the high-quality teaching, training and support provided by Preston College’s Construction team. Well done to everyone who took part in this SkillBuild challenge – you should all be very proud of yourselves.”

The College would like to extend our congratulations to all apprentices who competed, whether placed or not, for their commitment and professionalism throughout the event.