Irwin Tools has supported trainee tradesmen in their bid to be named the best of the best by sponsoring a national skills competition.
The company donated thousands of pounds' worth of equipment to the national final of SkillBuild, held at the NEC in Birmingham earlier this month.

Run by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) with endorsement from WorldSkills, SkillBuild is the biggest and longest-running competition of its kind in the UK. It comprises heats in 15 regions with winning teams competing at the national final, and focuses on 10 key skills: bricklaying; cabinet making; carpentry; dry walling systems; joinery; painting and decorating; plastering; roofing; stonemasonry; and wall and floor tiling.

The winning individuals will have the chance to fight it out at the WorldSkills 2015 competition in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

As part of its sponsorship Irwin supplied a host of tools, ranging from sliding bevels and bradawls to woodworking vices and saws.

Ian Birdsall, product marketing manager at Irwin Tools, commented: "We're hugely proud to have been able to support SkillBuild as part of our ongoing commitment to encouraging and nurturing the country's future tradesmen. As a showcase for up-and-coming talent, the contest plays a vital role in demonstrating the incredibly high standards of technical expertise still taught and practised by colleges and trade professionals."