Persistence pays off for David as he takes SkillBuild title

27-year-old slating and tiling apprentice, David Crank, has been crowned the North East regional SkillBuild Champion 2018.

Representing Newcastle College where he is training and his employer, Hodgson Sayers, in the slating and tiling category held at the college, David competed against students from the North East of England and Scotland to win the regional title. To celebrate his hard work he was presented with a Paslode nail gun which will assist his learning.

David joined Hodgson Sayers in 2014 where he was initially employed as a site labourer and continually enquired about becoming an apprentice. Due to his persistence and performance on-site he was accepted onto the apprenticeship programme.

David, from Pity Me, County Durham, said: “I have recently completed my level two apprenticeship in slating and tiling at Newcastle College and I am really enjoying it.

“Hodgson Sayers encourages us to take the initiative on live projects, to enter competitions and pursue areas of the trade that we really enjoy. This is what attracts young people to the company and on completion of our training we are guaranteed employment.

“As a more mature apprentice, I hope that I am an example of what can be achieved if you have a goal and work hard at it. You can have a skill and be talented but determination, persistence and a desire to learn are the most important tools.”

The company takes on a new cohort of apprentices every year with the main disciplines being slating, tiling, bricklaying and flat roofing.

John Sayers, managing director at Hodgson Sayers, said: “We are very pleased at David’s personal success, his positive attitude mixed with his natural ability for the trade, shines through.

“Also in the competition were our apprentices, Baily Goyns and Jordan Condren who performed brilliantly on the day and just missed out on seeing Hodgson Sayers take all three top positions.

“All of our apprentices are a credit to themselves and the contract managers who mentor them. Our mentors took the same path as today’s apprentices and have the skills and wisdom to guide them on any issue.

“We believe that with the right investment from us and support from our training providers, we can greatly improve our overall quality standards whilst having a positive impact on the apprentices we employ.”