Posted on 24 June 2025
A Leeds College of Building apprentice has been crowned Senior Champion at the Guild of Bricklayers National Final 2025. Ellis Smith, an apprentice with Hirst Developments, secured a spot at the finals after winning first place at the Yorkshire Region Brickwork Competition in April.
Ellis then cemented his victory after a high-pressure head-to-head demonstration of his outstanding bricklaying talent at the national finals.
Hosted at Sunderland College, the finals showcased top bricklaying talent from across the country. Seasoned bricklayers to those just starting out in their career had the chance to demonstrate their exceptional abilities and gain invaluable experience and exposure.
Tasked with building a model over two three-hour sessions, Ellis made sure “more than half” of his model was done before the mid-way break to give him the best chance of success.
When asked what his main piece of advice would be to anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps and succeed in a competition setting, he said: “keep your cool.
“You see all these numbers and you see the big clock and the time’s ticking, you start to worry. But if you keep a cool head, you’ll be all right.”
Damien Mason-Harding, Leeds College of Building Curriculum Manager, said:
“A massive congratulations to our very own Ellis Smith, who absolutely smashed it at the Guild of Bricklayers final and is bringing home the trophy. Huge respect to all the talented competitors who battled it out – the standard was sky-high.
“Thank you to the fantastic hosts at Sunderland College and The Guild of Bricklayers for putting on another brilliant competition that celebrates the best of our craft. This win is also a massive testament to the incredible guidance of Ellis’s tutor, Wayne Richardson, and the entire brickwork team at LCB. Today is a huge win for Ellis and for the future of bricklaying.”
Ellis name-checked both Damien and his tutor Wayne Richardson for their support in getting him to this point in his career.
“Wayne has been breaking his back to help me; the constructive criticism he’s given me has been outstanding. Damien drove me all the way to Sunderland for the final. So genuinely I can’t thank Leeds College of Building enough.”
Hirst Developments Business Owner, Chris Hirst, said: “Very proud of Ellis. Thank you to Leeds College of Building for providing Ellis with the training
he is now putting into practice. We have two new apprentices starting in September [who will] hopefully show the same levels of achievement.” The Guild of Bricklayers was founded in 1932 with the aims of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship in Brickwork. The Guild runs regional competitions yearly, with the industry titles now a sought-after accolade for winners, colleges, and tutors.
Find out more about Bricklayer Apprenticeships on the Leeds College of Building website or learn more about the range of other rewarding construction and built environment apprenticeships that are available.
