FIS announced the winners of its flagship #iBuiltThis2018 awards at a Champagne reception at UK Construction Week on 9 October 2018. This simple competition is designed to promote careers in construction and get young people, the construction industry and the public to participate and show how proud they are of their contribution to the UK built environment in a fun, exciting and light-hearted way. The winners and runners-up were presented with their awards by architect and host of Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces, George Clarke.

The winners were:
• 13 and under age category was Hollie Baynes with her submission the House of Horrors
• 14 to 18 age category was Naomi Hamilton with her entry An Arch
• 19 plus age category was Jamie Hubbard with his entry The Ivy House

Nathan Garnett, Event Director of UK Construction Week said “it is the simplicity of this initiative that makes it so brilliant. Anybody can enter, it embraces all forms of social media and it reminds us of the simple joy in making stuff and at the same time how construction is building our future. There was a great crop of entries across the different age contests from Lego builds to intricate brickwork and relaxation spaces innovatively designed and built. What better place to host this than at UK Construction Week, which is all about showcasing this brilliant industry? I was particularly delighted to see so many of the finalists and winners attend with their friends and family so they got to see some of the innovation and progressive thinking that is driving our sector forwards.”

A key aim is to showcase construction as the exciting and diverse sector it is with its huge breadth of disciplines and career opportunities to help attract new entrants. It allows people of all ages to enter and show their building skills and the projects they have built and in doing so hopes to inspire new entrants into the sector and visually show what amazing work is being produced at all levels.

Iain McIlwee FIS CEO said: “the construction industry employs around 3.1 million people, that equates to one in ten people working in the UK, but instead of a career of first choice we seem all too often to drop down to being a last resort and this absolutely belies the truth. We want people to know that the UK construction industry is a power house for the economy and has something for everyone, a trade, a profession or perhaps a combination of both! We need the craftsmen, the tradesmen, the site workers, the surveyors, the designers, the engineers, the project managers and the digital experts who will help us to disrupt and develop the industry. This industry is evolving fast and we need the people to help us deliver world-class solutions that make the UK the best place in the world to live work and play.”

#iBuiltThis2019 will be launched at the World Skills Live show at the NEC in Birmingham 15-17 November 2018. For more information about #iBuiltThis2019 campaign or if you would like to get involved email: skills@thefis.org or visit www.thefis.org/skills-hub/i-built-this-2018/