Young bricklayer claims gold for the UK in international competition

Philip Green has won international bricklaying gold at the 2011 Worldskills competition.

Finalists in the bricklaying event, which formed one of the 12 disciplines of the Construction and Building Technology category, were tested on their ability to accurately construct a complicated wall section from a set design and within a given time.

Hanson UK supplied the bricks for the final of the international skills competition, which was held over four days at ExCel London.

The bricks were chosen for their dimensional accuracy, colour consistency and sharp arrises. Three contrasting brick types were chosen – Millennium Red, Tame Valley Dragfaced and Dark Moroccan Smooth – to complete the final design. Hanson Cradley also supplied hand-made commemorative Worldskills bricks for the competitors.

Philip, 22, shared the top honour with Danish bricklayer Nicolai Asmussen with competitors from Australia, Italy and Switzerland tying for bronze.

More than 200,000 people visited Worldskills which saw young people from over 50 countries competing to be the best in their chosen area. The UK claimed five gold medals at the event with three of them coming in the Construction and Building Technology category.

Hanson UK’s national marketing manager Paul Lacey said: “Philip’s success in this high profile global competition is testament to the high quality training schemes run in the UK.

“It is important for our construction industry that young people are aware of the opportunities that exist for vocational skills such as these as we will need talented individuals to construct the high quality buildings of the future.”