THE skills of York's builders, plasterers, electricians and plumbers of the future were recognised at the The York College Construction Awards 2019.

The annual awards celebrate the excellence of students and apprentices studying carpentry and joinery, brickwork, plastering, stonemasonry, professional and technical studies, electrical, painting and decorating and plumbing at the college.

Based on the theme ‘developing our students, growing your business’, this year's awards saw businesses from the region’s construction industry sponsored many of the 60 awards presented at the special ceremony, held in the atrium at York College.

A formal welcome by college principal, Dr Alison Birkinshaw, was followed by the presentation of awards by special guest Chris Birch, chairman of William Birch and Sons - a company with a long and impressive record of building construction, refurbishment and restoration work in the region.

Rob Holmes, the college's head of division for construction brought the evening to a close with a vote of thanks.

Special awards were presented to the following students:

• York Guild of Building Silver Medal for Excellence in Stonemasonry – Lewis Morrison

• York Guild of Building Bronze Medal for Excellence in Stonemasonry – Sean Henderson

• Construction Industry Council Yorkshire & Humberside Award – Zachery Gorley

• Kevin Clancy Building Award – Oliver Ward

• York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship Award – Timothy Thwaite

• Worshipful Company of Masons’ Award – Sam Brooks

Mr Holmes said: "These annual awards are a wonderful way to celebrate the skills of our construction students and apprentices.

"The winners are individually recognised for their hard work, commitment and dedication to their studies and they are the future of the construction industry - we are extremely proud of their achievements.

"I also want to pay tribute to the many local, regional and national employers who continue to support the construction division at the college and ensure that we can provide the industry with work-ready individuals as we help to grow the construction businesses in our region and beyond.”

Awards: Samuel Mayhew Jack Birch Prize; Ryan Wales Mitchell & Urwin Award; Patrick McBride GEM Construction Award; Miles Baker York College Tutors Award; Cameron Boardman National Federation of Builders (BEC) Shield; James Farrow York Handmade Brick Company Award; Lewis Craven York College Tutors Award; Ewan Rookes Portakabin Award; Callum Sissons Houghtons of York Craftsmanship Award; Lewis Carter National Federation of Builders (BEC) Shield; Benjamin Horner Clive Walker Shield; Carl Scaife Yorkshire Housing Award; Lily Fairbank-Taylor York College Tutors Award; Kieran Gordon Persimmon Homes Award; Ethan Lewis Trustspan Award; Joshua Craven Tom Rhodes & Sons Award; Brandon Halliwell City & Guilds Trophy; Lucan Wright Freemasons Charity Yorkshire North and East Ridings Award; James Digger Peter Moore Masonry Award; James Digger Historic Property Restoration Ltd Award; William Hague York Minster Award; Alexander Adams Andrew Gomersall Prize; Rachael Wragg York College Tutors Award (Jay De-Martine Memorial Award); Carl James Watermark Award; Liam Brooks Yorkshire Water Prize; Dean Wardell Peglar Yorkshire Award; Liam Dalby Peglar Yorkshire Award; Ripley Clements Ceejays Award; Alan Brooks Aqualisa Award; Charles Buckle Painting & Decorating Association Award; Joshua Loveley Alfred Bagnall Award; Mohammad Alitha York College Tutors Award; Gemma Hardy Painting & Decorating Association Shield; Thomas Scaife Novus Property Solutions Shield; Michael White York College Tutors Award; Carl Moffatt Travis Perkins Award; Aaron Garnett Edmundson Electrical Award; Adam Cooper City Electrical Factors Award; George Booth York College Tutors Award; Ross Wilcox York College Tutors Award; Dorothy Fenwick YESSS Electrical Award; George Stoker Riccall Regen Achievement Award; Johnathan Iveson York College Tutors Award; Harvey Taylor Glentrool Award; Lewis Deighton Norman Lilley Memorial Trust Award; Felix Orchard Wildgoose Construction Award; Lorna Howard CIOB Brian Randall Memorial Award; Anthony Stephenson Wildgoose Construction Award; Thomas Hogg York College Tutors Award; Sophie Riley Chartered Institute of Building Shield; Timothy Stead National Federation of Builders (BEC) Trophy; Laura Speakman Wildgoose Construction Award; Jordan Tate York College Tutors Award; Oliver Warnes LHL Group Award; Lewis Morrison York Guild of Builders; Sean Henderson York Guild of Builders; Timothy Thwaite York Consortium For Conservation & Craftsmanship Award; Oliver Ward Kevin Clancy Building Award for tenacity, dedication and attainment in learning; Zachary Gorley Construction Industry Council Yorkshire & Humberside Award; Sam Brooks Worshipful Company of Masons' Prize