Three apprentices from South West College placed in the top three at the SkillBuild NI Regional Qualifier Competition 2026.

Tristan McGrath won gold in the plumbing category. Peter Bryant took silver in plastering and Matthew Sloan won bronze in the same category.

The event took place at Southern Regional College Greenbank Campus in Newry. Over 100 apprentices from across Northern Ireland competed in 12 construction trades.

Winners may advance to the SkillBuild UK national finals scheduled for 17-19 November 2026 in Milton Keynes.

The competition is organised by the Construction Industry Training Board NI with support from the Department for the Economy.

John Moss, Head of Department for Sustainability, Construction and Transport at South West College, said the results reflect the apprentices' preparation and the support provided by college staff and employers.

Barry Neilson OBE, Chief Executive of CITB NI, said the event helps develop the next generation of skilled workers for the construction industry.