FIS launched its hugely successful #iBuiltThis2019 competition at the WorldSkills UK Live event at the NEC in Birmingham.

#iBuiltThis is a visual campaign, image led aiming to celebrate the skills, talent within the construction industry and showcase projects people have built in relation to the built environment. FIS chief executive Iain McIlwee said “we chose to launch the competition at WorldSkills UK Live because the event is all about helping young people go further, faster in their careers, gaining the skills that employers need most. Not to mention the Skills Show is the UK’s largest careers show, attracting over 72,000 visitors each year and engaging with colleges and young people here will help us to get some exciting entries for the 2019 competition”.

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.

To encourage young people to get involved, the competition has been divided into three age groups with some fabulous prizes to be won: 13 and under (for the 2018 competition the prize was a family trip to Legoland with an overnight stay at Castle Hotel, 14-18 (an iPhone X) and 19 (a getaway for two adults in one of Canopy & Stars exclusive properties in the UK). We would like entrants to share a picture of themselves with an image of a completed project they have built, or helped to build and enter on the competition platform when it opens.
Encouraging photos of new buildings of any type, whether they’re made from Lego, Meccano, sand or even chocolate. Images of iconic buildings and breath taking fit-out and interiors will be used to inspire people to see construction as a career of choice. The entries received will be diverse in both built environment images and the roles involved in their construction and images will be used to educate new entrants afterwards.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at UK Construction Week between 8–10 October 2019 by TV personality and architect George Clarke.
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 simply joy in making stuff and at the same time how construction is building our future. There was a great crop of entries in 2018 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 2018 competition 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.”

To find out more on how you can partner with us email skills@thefis.org or visit our website at: https://www.thefis.org/skills-hub/i-built-this-2019/