Senior management at Stanley-based, Hodgson Sayers, have applauded its apprentices as, for the second year running, Jordan Condren and David Crank demonstrated their outstanding ability at WorldSkills UK.
Jordan and David won gold and bronze respectively, in the two-day roof slating and tiling competition, held in Birmingham at the National Exhibition Centre. The result follows a victorious year at the competition in 2018, with David taking home bronze and Jordan, silver.
Finalists from across the UK demonstrated their skills and Jordan and David were accompanied by their tutor at Newcastle College, Alan Bessford and Hodgson Sayers’ finance manager, Mike Wade. Apprentices at the company attend a three-year course at Newcastle College, studying either slating and tiling or flat roofing.
John Sayers, managing director at Hodgson Sayers, who, along with executive chairman, Billy Hodgson, presented both apprentices with £500 from the company for their outstanding performance, said: “Jordan and David have done it again and we couldn’t be more thrilled! Bringing home medals from such an elite competition for the second-year running is no easy feat and is testament to the outstanding quality of apprentices we have across all age ranges.
“Before joining our apprentice scheme, David had been working at the company as a labourer for some time and it was obvious he was a great talent and extremely determined. It was his fantastic drive that made us very pleased to offer him an apprenticeship and clearly, we made an excellent decision.
“From his first day with us, Jordan has helped to set the standard for quality and innovation. At the live shows his natural ability and passion for his work was clear for all to see. The company has always aimed to create a supportive atmosphere that allows for friendly competition and Jordan and David’s continuing success shows we are achieving this, and more.
“Our ongoing relationship with Newcastle College is one we value greatly and we have always appreciated that the fantastic tutoring our apprentices receive, alongside in-house training, is why they are the cream of the crop.”
The competition, which focuses on different aspects of roofing each year, saw 80,000 people attend over the two days and the crowds comprised trades people, colleges, school and manufacturers.
Jordan, 21, from Newcastle, said: “I have worked extremely hard this year to further develop my skills and the result tells me that my efforts have paid off. Having competed last year, I knew how large the audience would be but I was focused purely on the task in hand. It is not lost on me how lucky I am to be working for such a supportive business that gives daily encouragement and actively seeks out opportunities for us all to show off our skills.”
David, 29, from Durham, said: “I was thrilled to qualify again to represent Hodgson Sayers. All the apprentices are really supportive of each other but we do have a healthy level of competitiveness so to win my second award at such a high level is amazing! Hats off to Jordan as well, a win for one of us is a win for all of us and I’m really proud of the level of work we both delivered.”
Alan Bessford, programme leader for roofing at Newcastle College said: “Both Jordan and David performed amazingly in the competition and were excellent ambassadors for the College and their employer. I’m really proud of their achievements.
“The success of our apprentices at a national skills competition is testament not only to their abilities but to the level of teaching they receive at Newcastle College and the support and development from the team at Hodgson Sayers.
“I hope we can continue to build on these successes through our partnership with our current and future apprentices and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Jordan and David go on to achieve.”
