Yorkshire's Best Brickie

An apprentice bricklayer from Bradford College is set to compete in a national skills contest after being crowned Yorkshire’s best.

Josh Smith won the junior category of the Yorkshire division of the Guild of Bricklayers competition so will go up against the best brickies from across the country in the final in Liverpool next week.

The teenager from Queensbury won through to the final despite a mix-up that could have sent his chances crashing to the ground. Although entered into the junior section, the 18-year-old was inadvertently given the task designed for senior competitors. He was 40 minutes into the complex build before the error was spotted and he was given the correct drawings to follow. Josh demolished the work he’d already done and started constructing the junior-level build and was the only competitor in the junior group to finish ahead of schedule.

Josh, who is an apprentice with Archcraft Builders in Bradford, has already had his talent recognised at a national level having been named Young Builder of the Year in the 14-18 year-old category of the Youthbuild UK annual awards that were held at the House of Commons last October.

Joe Lumb, brickwork tutor at Bradford College, said: “For Josh to win the junior section despite the early confusion shows not just his skill and professionalism but also his dedication and ability to adapt and cope with pressure. He is a great ambassador for Bradford College and for his employers.

He works incredibly hard and was up against some very talented competitors in the Yorkshire round at Bishop Burton College. Everyone at Bradford College, our apprenticeship team at City Training Services and his employers wish him the best in the final in Liverpool.”