Nicholls & Clarke have continued to sponsor SkillBuild, the UK’s largest and longest-running
multi-trade skills competition, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
The competition officially began with 17 Regional Qualifiers currently taking place at various
locations across the UK.

SkillBuild invited the UK’s top construction trainee talent, skilled learners and apprentices to
battle it out to be crowned winners of their chosen trade. There are ten different trades to
choose from, such as wall and floor tiling, carpentry, joinery, and bricklaying.

CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook forecasts over 47,000 extra construction workers are
needed in the UK each year by 2029, with a higher figure currently leaving the industry
annually. Nicholls & Clarke Group continue to support the drive for new talent into the
industry to help fill the void within the UK construction workforce.

Skillbuild demonstrates the opportunities available for people to join the industry, whereby
the event helps to showcase the wide array of roles available in construction.
Robert Smith, Product Manager (Careers) at CITB, said: “It’s always so inspiring seeing
the talent and passion that the competition brings out – I’m looking forward to the first of the
Regional Qualifiers starting this month.

“The industry needs a steady and strong flow of talent to deliver critical infrastructure
and support the government to reach its goal of building millions of new homes. SkillBuild is
a brilliant chance for construction trainees to show off their skillsets while developing and
learning new ones and showing what the construction industry has to offer.”

David Forbes, Chairman and CEO of Nicholls & Clarke Group said: “As a business that
has witnessed the evolution of the construction industry over decades, we are proud to
continue to be part of an initiative that invests in and recognises talent in the UK construction
sector. Good luck to all the competitors, not just within the tiling but across all categories.

List of SkillBuild competition categories:
•Bricklaying
•Carpentry
•Drylining
•Furniture and cabinet making
•Joinery
•Painting and decorating
•Plastering
•Roof slating and tiling
•Stonemasonry
•Wall and floor tiling

Dates and locations for Regional Qualifiers:
•17th March 2026 - York College
•19th March 2026 - City College Plymouth
•24th March 2026 - Oaklands College
•26th March 2026 - Langley Training Services
•31st March 2026 - Dundee and Angus College
•14th April 2026 - Carlisle College
•16th April 2026 - Colchester Institute
•22nd April 2026 - Errigal Academy, London
•23rd April 2026 - Historical Environment Scotland, Stirling
•30th April 2026 - Burnley College
•6th May 2026 - Exeter College
•12th May 2026 - Dudley College of Technology
•14th May 2026 - Newcastle College
•19th May 2026 - Southern Regional College, Northern Ireland
•28th May 2026 - Moulton College
•2nd June 2026 - Leeds College of Building
•4th June 2026 - Coleg Cambria