Ambitious Apprentice Awarded Silver Trowel
North Notts College has awarded a silver-plated trowel to Level 2 Bricklayer Apprentice Christopher Robinson for achieving a distinction in his City and Guilds 2022-23 end point assessment.
The assessment is broken down into three parts: a knowledge-based exam, simulated practical tasks, and verbal questions based on the apprentices’ portfolio of evidence. After passing these tests, apprentices will become fully qualified in their trade and be ready to start a rewarding career within the construction industry. Christopher aced all three sections of the exam with distinction, which is the highest grade you can achieve.
For the surprise reveal, Christopher was greeted by fellow students and staff members in the construction workshop. Michael Cox, a brick skills assessor at North Notts College, then gave a speech before presenting him with the award.
He said: “Since starting with us in 2019, Christopher has shown consistent development in his apprenticeship journey and we have received nothing but positive feedback from his manager.
“In fact, he is the first-ever Level 2 Bricklayer Apprentice at the college to receive a distinction across all three sections in his end point assessment and by the actual awarding assessor.
“I am really proud of how far he has come and it goes to show that hard work really does pay off. We wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors!”
Christopher is no stranger to success; he recently represented the RNN Group during the senior heats of the Guild of Bricklayers (GOB) Competition in 2022 and placed a close second. The annual GOB competition brings together young bricklayers from across the UK and pits them against each other in a series of skills-based challenges.
Shortly after receiving his award, we asked Christopher a few questions about his recent achievements and apprenticeship experience.
He commented: “It came as a big surprise for me to win this award today and I am grateful to the college for acknowledging my hard work.
“All the tutors have been by my side since day one and have really helped me grow as an individual. They are always available to offer advice and never treat you as just another student.
“The whole experience has been really rewarding, especially when I competed in the Guilds of Bricklayers competition last year. The competition allowed me to show my skills and see how I fared against other tradesmen within the UK, which has helped build my confidence.”
We also asked Ed Ogle, owner of Ogle Building Contracts Limited and Christopher’s manager, how he had found recruiting an apprentice.
He said: “It has been a great decision so far and I am impressed with the progress Christopher has made in such a short amount of time. I have helped him learn the ropes, while he has helped my business grow, so it is really a win-win situation.”
Below are a few pictures of Christopher’s handiwork over the past year while working at Ogle Building Contracts Limited.
To find out more about the apprenticeships we offer in construction, click here.