Ayrshire apprentice makes history with podium finish at UK’s top construction competition

Persimmon Homes’ Chantelle Muir secures 2nd place in national SkillBuild final.

Persimmon Homes apprentice Chantelle Muir has made history by becoming the first female ever to reach the podium in the SkillBuild National Final for bricklaying, securing an outstanding 2nd place at the UK’s largest and most prestigious construction skills competition.

Chantelle, a bricklaying apprentice from Ayrshire, travelled to Milton Keynes earlier this week to compete against the nation’s top young tradespeople at Arena MK. Her precision, technical skill, and professionalism earned her the silver medal in the highly competitive bricklaying category.

Her achievement is particularly remarkable in a year that saw more than 1,000 apprentices competing across 10 construction trades nationwide. In bricklaying alone, 231 apprentices battled it out for a place at the final, with only 10 reaching the national stage.

Chantelle qualified for the national final after impressing judges at the Scottish regional competition at Dundee and Angus College in June. SkillBuild, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and often described as the ‘skills Olympics’, puts apprentices through demanding, industry-standard technical challenges.

Since beginning her apprenticeship in August 2022, Chantelle has balanced hands-on experience on site with her studies at Ayrshire College, developing her skills through a blend of practical training and formal learning.

Chantelle said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have taken 2nd place at the national final and to be the first woman ever on the podium for bricklaying.

“Competing against the best young bricklayers in the UK was an incredible experience.

“I’ve had fantastic support from Persimmon Homes and Ayrshire College, and I hope this inspires other young women to consider a career in construction.”

William Smith, Senior Regional Apprenticeship Manager at Persimmon Homes, said: “Chantelle’s historic 2nd place finish is a tremendous achievement. Her skill, determination and professionalism make her an inspirational role model for all apprentices, and we are incredibly proud of her.”