Southern Regional College

Skills apprentices battle for top spot

Trade Apprentices from across Counties Down and Armagh battled it out at Southern Regional College's Greenbank Campus in Newry to secure their place at the regional Skillbuild competition which will take place in March 2010.

Seventeen trade areas were represented including Brickwork, Heavy and Light Vehicle Repair, Vehicle Body Repair, Plant Maintenance and Agricultural Machinery, Plastering, Tiling, Carpentry and Joinery, Horticulture, Plumbing, Electrical and Engineering and saw a total of over 100 Apprentices take part.

As well as SRC Apprentices over 40 students from schools across the southern region took part including the schools of St Paul's Bessbrook, Rathmore, Kilkeel High, St Columbans Kilkeel, St Joseph's Crossmaglen, Armagh High, Rathfriland High, St Joseph's Newry, Markethilll High School, St Mark's Warrenpoint, St Patrick's Keady, Newbridge Integrated School, Newtownhamilton High, St Patrick's Newry, Craigavon Senior High and St Brigid's.

Test piece challenges were developed for each area and are designed to challenge the ability of the Apprentices to follow detailed instructions, produce accurate and neat work outputs, be economical with materials while working to strict timescales - all essential requirements for today's industry.

Many of those who were awarded first, second and third places will now go forward to take part in the regional Skillbuild competition in March 2010 which will test them further against other Apprentices from across Northern Ireland. The winners from this will then go forward to represent Northern Ireland at the UK Skills competition and hopefully at the Worldskills competition.

Uel Barnes, Head of School for Construction, Engineering and Apprenticeship Training said: "A very high standard was demonstrated on the day by all participants from the 14 year old secondary school pupils to our own students completing their apprenticeships. Southern Regional College is indebted to the local companies who supported this event by providing sponsorship in the way of prizes. Given the success and enthusiasm on the day it is hoped that this will become an annual event."

Pictured (from left to right), Ronan Connell (3rd Year Painting and Decorating Newry Campus), Emma Guy (3rd Year Joinery Armagh Campus), Cathal Toner (2nd Year Bricklaying Armagh Campus) and Patrick Simms (2nd Year Electrical Installation Armagh Campus).

WINNERS FOR EACH SECTION WERE:

Apprenticeship - Skills Winners

Skill Area	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place
Joinery	Alexander Gordon	Matthew Mallon	Gavin Magee
Painting & Decorating	Robert Graham	Ronan Connell	Jamie McEvoy
Brickwork	Dean McCreery	Edward McCaughey	Conor Hughes
Lead Sheetwork	David Hanna	Philip Kennedy	James Garvey
Industrial Heating	Philip Murnion	Sean Larkin	N/A
Plumbing Pipework	Richard Shilliday	Ryan Cunningham	Todd Armand
Floor and Wall Tiling	Chris O'Hare	Neil Loughran	Joshua Graham
Plastering	Daniel Brogan	Gerard Corrigan	Jamie Irvine
Cabinet Making	Stephen Irwin	Andrew Patterson	Andrew Magill
Electrical Installation	Damien McComiskey	N/A	N/A
Motor Vehicle Heavy	Conor Loghran	N/A	N/A
Mechanical Engineering	John Crozier	N/A	N/A
Horticulture	Christopher O'Hare	N/A	N/A
Car Body Repair	Tyler Erwin	N/A	N/A
Motor Vehicle Light	James Johnston	N/A	N/A
Carpentry	Wayne Cully	Hugh John Doyle	Mark Doran

 

SPP - Skills Winners

Skill Area	Winner
Horticulture	Thomas Rafferty - Rathmore
Motor Vehicle	Dinars Teteris
Tiling	Robert Walsh
Joinery	Edward Devlin
Plastering	Barry Mullan - St Marks Warrenpoint
Brickwork	Danny Mullan
Painting and Decorating	Rachel Herron - Newtownhamilton
Plumbing	Shane Brannigan - St Marks Warrenpoint
Electrical	Mark Hanratty - St Joseph's Crossmaglen
Engineering	Jonathan Jenkins