Roof Tiling and Slating Cut From SkillBuild 2020

ROOF TILING AND SLATING has been suspended from this year’s Skillbuild competition with the NFRC and CITB to review the competition’s criteria and procedures.

The NFRC and CITB have reached an agreement with Worldskills on the matter with the aim of bringing the competition back in 2021.

A joint statement from the NFRC and CITB reads: “The Roof Tiling and Slating category will not take place at this year’s Skillbuild competition because the competition’s criteria and procedures are to be reviewed.  The goal will be to establish a reinvigorated competition for 2021 that will better reflect the needs of the industry and competitors.

“The decision comes after consultation and agreement between the category’s joint backers, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and WorldSkills UK.

“Both the NFRC and CITB remain committed to the training of the next generation of roofers and supporting skills competitions. The NFRC will be backing Team GB in the international IFD Young Roofer Championships later this year.”

2019 event controversy

The 2019 Skillbuild event was thrown into confusion when a miscalculation in scores led to the gold medal being awarded to two competitors.

Skillbuild roofing judges correctly recorded their scores, but these were logged incorrectly in the Skillbuild scoring system.

The blunder came to light at the prestigious award ceremony that is the climax of the three-day competition and is held in front of a thousand-strong audience. When the roofing judges realised the Skillbuild organisers had got it wrong they immediately raised the alarm.

Subsequently, the second finalist to be awarded a gold medal, Philip Houghton, as well as the announced winner Jordan Condren both received written apologies.