THE HEATS ARE ON!

THE FIRST AND second regional heats in the new-format Apprentice of the Year competition were held in March.

Andrew Davis from the Association of Painting Craft Teachers (APCT) is part of the impartial competition judges alongside PDA Chief Executive Neil Ogilvie.

The first heat at Accrington and Rossendale College took place on 2 March, where 16 apprentices from four colleges participated in the gruelling six-hour challenge. Apprentices were required to take a complex design on paper and translate it into a carefully completed ‘mural’.

Curriculum leader in painting and decorating at Accrington and Rossendale College, Phil Burgess, said, “It was a fabulous turnout. The level of work was fantastic from all the competitors, and we’re really proud of what they’ve produced.”

The second heat took place at City of Glasgow College on 16 March and was the first ever in Scotland. A great turnout, with 20 apprentices from colleges in Glasgow, Inverness, Fife, Falkirk and Newcastle taking part.

Painting and decorating apprentices put their skills to the test in the first-ever Scottish heat of the PDA’s Apprentice of the Year competition.

Tom Little, a semi-retired college lecturer in painting and decorating from Lanarkshire was invited to create the designs used in each of the competition events, he said, “The test piece is designed to test a range of skills which are particular to painters and decorators. Accuracy, getting straight lines, nice regular curves and sharp corners, as well as getting an even application of the coating so the whole background is well covered.”

In April, two more heats will take place to cover the Midlands and the South, with 75 apprentices entering the contest across the four regional heats in 2023.

Painting and decorating apprentices put their skills to the test in the first-ever Scottish heat of the PDA’s Apprentice of the Year competition.

The PDA wishes to thank teams at colleges hosting the competitions and the sponsors, Crown Paints, CITB, Purdy Professional Painting Tools, Valspar Trade and Ciret UK, without whom the competition would not be able to take place.

The Apprentice of the Year winners will be announced at the PDA’s flagship Premier Trophy Awards ceremony, held at the prestigious Plaisterers’ Hall in London on the 6 July.