Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCN NI) has been announced as a key sponsor for the SkillBuild NI Regional Competition 2025, a significant event in the UK's construction skills calendar. This partnership underscores OCN NI's commitment to nurturing talent and supporting skills development within Northern Ireland's construction sector.

The annual competition is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 20th May 2025, at the Downpatrick Campus of South Eastern Regional College (SERC). The event will see top-performing apprentices and trainees from construction programmes across Northern Ireland competing in 11 different trade categories, ranging from brickwork to wall and floor tiling. The competition is designed to rigorously test the participants' skills, techniques, and abilities under strict time constraints, ultimately identifying the leading performers in each trade.

SkillBuild is delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB GB) and serves as a platform to showcase the brightest emerging talent in the construction industry. The competition, which is supported by the Department for the Economy and various local construction firms, aims to highlight the high level of skills and impressive talent within the workforce, while also elevating the status and standards of professional and technical education and training.

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In the previous year, 331 students from Northern Ireland participated in the Intercampus Competitions, the NI Regional Heat, and the UK Finals hosted by World Skills UK and CITB (GB). 2024 also saw notable achievements for Northern Ireland, with Cabinet and Furniture Making student Isaac competing in World Skills, Lyon, alongside Electrical Installation student Daniel Knox.

The sponsorship aligns with OCN NI’s core mission to enhance the skills profile of the local workforce through its accredited qualifications and training programmes.

Martin Flynn, Chief Executive of OCN NI, said: "We are delighted to be one of the core sponsors of SkillBuild NI Regional Competition 2025 which aims to showcase the incredible talent emerging from our construction training programs. This competition is a fantastic platform for apprentices to demonstrate their skills and for us to highlight the importance of continuous learning and development in the industry."

Barry Neilson OBE, Chief Executive of CITB NI, commented: "CITB NI is delighted to welcome OCN as sponsor for SkillBuild NI Regional Competition. Without the support of the sponsors across the industry the competition simply could not happen. SkillBuild NI Regional Competition is an opportunity to encourage and continue to develop the future work which is crucial for industry growth and shaping the future of our local industry. We wish all the competitors the best of luck for the forthcoming regional qualifier competition in May."

Further information about SkillBuild can be found at www.goconstruct.org.