Aiden Dearie has been chosen as the gold winner of the 2018 Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition after a three-day challenge at the WorldSkills UK LIVE event at Birmingham’s NEC. The final included seven regional winners undertaking a timed challenge: completing a design which commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the Armistice Agreement. The artwork was devised by Crown’s in-house design studio specially for the competition.
Aiden, a 22-year-old apprentice who is completing his SVQ Level 3 Painting and Decorating at City Building Glasgow’s Queenslie Training College demonstrated excellent attention to detail. The judges praised his skill with both matt paint and trim work, and for completing the design well within the timeframe to an exceptionally high standard. He also scored highly in terms of his accuracy and finesse, and for his tidy working area.
The annual competition, which is now in its 39th year, is organised by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and sponsored by Crown Paints along with other industry leaders such as British Gypsum.
Ben Deer, assistant judge and former Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year winner, said: “The standard of this year’s competition was incredibly high, which made selecting a winner a challenge in itself. Aiden stood out for his consistency throughout the three days of the competition, and for his tidy and accurate work which achieved a beautiful finish.
“Every decorator is different, and it’s fascinating to see how each person approaches the challenge we set. This year, we slightly reduced the time available to complete the challenge, but the majority of the finalists – Aiden included – managed their time and workload very well, and everyone should be very proud of their work.”
The final was held as part of the SkillBuild event, organised by CITB as part of WorldSkills UK LIVE, at Birmingham’s NEC over three days from 15th to 17th November. It is the largest multi-trade competition in the UK for construction trainees and apprentices and covers a range of skills and sectors from bricklaying and cabinet making to plastering and stonemasonry.
