Mivan has announced that for the first time ever it will have eight competitors at the NI Regional Qualifier for SkillBuild with seven competitors in Bench Joinery and one in Site Joinery.

Taking place on 21 May 2024 at South West College Enniskillen, the NI Regional Qualifier will host apprentices who are competing for a chance to advance to the UK final. These nationwide one-day events unite apprentices and trainees, with the top eight scorers in each specialty advancing to the SkillBuild National Final. In the previous year, Jamie Matthews, a 2nd Year Apprentice, secured a position in the UK Final.

Mivan Apprentices finished first in three out of the five local college areas in Northern Ireland to win a place at the NI Regional Qualifier. Ethan McKenna placed 1st in the Southern Regional College competition, Charlie Fleck finished 1st in the Northern Regional College contest and Tom Gallagher achieved 1st in the Belfast Met competition. Andrew Mackenzie, Jamie Matthews, Abbie Foster, and Matthew Conly also qualified for the NI Qualifier through the NRC competition. Paul Finnegan, also from NRC, achieved a place in the Site Joinery category.

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John Cunningham, CEO, Mivan, said: "Last year we had a record four apprentices competing in the Bench Joinery category but to achieve eight this year, across two categories, is just fantastic. I am very proud of the apprentices and extremely pleased to say Mivan has more than half the best apprentice bench joiners in Northern Ireland. Good luck to all the apprentices taking part and I am confident the Mivan team will do very well."

SkillBuild, organised by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), is the largest multi-trade competition for construction trainees and apprentices. As the biggest and longest running construction skills competition, they are looking for skill and talent that is built to last.