Clement and Mike have recently represented The Guernsey Institute across two competitions showcasing their carpentry skills.

Late last year the guys travelled to Preston to compete in a SkillBuild event. SkillBuild is the largest construction competition for apprentices and full-time learners in the UK and the Regional Qualifiers run UK-wide, from April to July each year. These one-day events bring together apprentices and trainees who complete a task relevant to their trade. Once the Qualifiers have finished, marks are collated and the eight highest-scoring competitors in each specialist skill advance to the next round. Clement managed to come away with an impressive first place in the carpentry division.

Earlier this year six Guernsey apprentices competed in the first pan-island skills competition in Jersey. Mike and Clement and students from TGI College competed against other apprentices from Jersey and the Isle of Man.

The event at Highlands College aimed to showcase the talents of the teams, and the apprentices took part in a series of timed challenges to test their skills in their chosen trades, such as plumbing, electrical engineering and carpentry. On this occasion, Mike came away with third place in the carpentry division.

Chris Torode, Director of Apprenticeships at TGI College, said: “This is a great collaborative initiative and the perfect opportunity for our apprentices to showcase their abilities and learn from their peers. As a college, we are focused on ensuring that our vocational programmes develop the required skills for the island and this type of event demonstrates our commitment to giving students and apprentices the broadest range of experience possible during their programme of study. I am looking forward to the competition and wish the best of luck to all participants.”

The organisers anticipate that the competition will become a cornerstone of the construction department’s calendar, fostering collaborative learning and friendly competition between the pan-island group.

C. A. Duquemin believes it is crucial to foster a supportive environment for apprentices by providing mentorship, constructive feedback and opportunities for skill development.

Well done to Clement and Mike!