City Building painter and decorator Aiden Dearie has taken first prize in a prestigious national decorating competition.
The 22-year-old was named Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year after triumphing in a three-day challenge at the WorldSkills UK LIVE event in Birmingham. The event is the largest multi-trade competition in the UK for construction trainees and apprentices.
Aiden competed against seven other finalists – including City Building employee Lisa Murphy – for the acclaimed title.
The pair were selected following a series of regional heats in which hundreds of apprentices enrolled on painting and decorating courses across the UK took part. Entrants were scored on a range of criteria including attention to detail, accuracy and finesse as well as the ability to maintain a tidy working area.
At the final, held from 15-17 November each apprentice was given 18 hours in total over the three days to complete a new challenge, under the watchful eye of the competition’s panel of judges. Aiden, who completed his apprenticeship this year and is now a full-time employee at City Building, was named gold winner by the panel for the high calibre of his work.
The prestigious 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.
Aiden said: “Winning the Crown title means a lot to me, and after being retained as a full-time employee it is another sign that my hard work is paying off.
“One of the best things about the job is that every day is different. Working in some of Glasgow’s most renowned buildings I have been able to do gold leafing, papering with expensive wallcoverings, marbling and French polishing.
“I am grateful to City Building for giving me the opportunity to successfully learn my trade, and I look forward to progressing my construction career.”
Cllr. Allan Casey, Chair of City Building (Glasgow) LLP said: “As a former apprentice I am very proud of Aiden and his achievements. He is a great role model to other young people, and I am glad that he has been recognised in this way for his dedication and hard work.”
