LCB roofing apprentices scoop gold and silver at SkillBuild 2025 National Final

​​​​​​​Dalton Roofing apprentices Samuel Jinks and Levente Szasz won gold and silver medals, respectively

Two Leeds College of Building (LCB) apprentices were crowned winners at this year’s SkillBuild national final, securing first and second places in the Roof Slating & Tiling category.

Dalton Roofing apprentices Samuel Jinks and Levente Szasz won gold and silver medals, respectively, at the event held at Arena MK, Milton Keynes.

The top eight highest-scoring competitors from 16 SkillBuild regional heats were selected to compete in the final.

 In total, 80 competitors across trade specialisms completed a project each under timed conditions, before an expert panel of judges tallied up the top scores. 

The SkillBuild trophies come on the back of an already successful year, with Samuel Jinks named Construction Apprentice of the Year at the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025, and Levente Szasz awarded Yorkshire Apprentice of the Year at the 2024 Excellence in Business Awards.

Reflecting on the student success during this year’s competition, LCB Curriculum Manager Damien Mason-Harding said: “This victory caps an unbelievable year for our department. Earlier this year, we also won the Guild of Bricklayers National Final […] The future of the construction industry is bright with talent like this emerging from Leeds College of Building.”

LCB has an excellent track record at SkillBuild finals. Last year, four LCB students took podium positions.  

Apprentice Holly Taylor Whitehead took first place in the Wall & Floor Tiling category, with student Ben Gordon finishing in third place. 

Student Alfie Waddington came second in the Roof Slating & Tiling category, while apprentice Wesley Proud achieved a third-place finish in Plastering.

Three other students took podium positions in 2023, and in 2022, apprentice Zara Dupont came first in Plastering & Drywall.