Carpentry apprentices Greg Law from Glasgow and Harry Halligan from New Milton were crowned Apprentice of the Year in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

In a task organised by the Wood Panel Industries Federation, Norbord, SmartPly, and Huntsman, the apprentices were expected to build a piece of furniture from OSB in just 90 minutes. Mr Law was nominated for the award by his employer Complete Property Maintenance, and Mr Halligan by his employer, Pennyfarthing Homes.

Since winning, Mr Halligan has been busy completing the final year of his carpentry NVQ and has received ongoing training and mentoring from experienced craftsmen through his employment at Pennyfarthing Homes.

He said: “I really enjoyed the trip to Ireland and taking part in the JOSB Done competition, but I really wasn’t expecting to win because both the other finalists had created such strong entries. It was surprising to come away with the final prize and I’m grateful to Pennyfarthing Homes for nominating me and for their continued support. Once I’ve completed my NVQ I hope to continue building on my skills and become a fully qualified carpenter.”

Meanwhile, following completion of his NVQ in carpentry, Mr Law has taken up a full-time position at Complete Property Maintenance.

“Winning the Apprentice of the Year 2012 was a great moment for me,” he said, “and I’m really grateful to Complete Property Maintenance for their continued support and for nominating me to take part in the competition. Having completed my studies, I am looking forward to building my career as a carpenter and honing the skills that I learnt at college and through my employer.”

Alastair Kerr, director general of the Wood Panel Industries Federations and spokesperson for the JOSB Done campaign, added: “It’s great to hear how well our two winners are doing since the competition. I’d like to wish Harry and Greg all the best for the future. The high standard of work submitted to the competition and their continued hard work makes them a credit to the construction industry.”