At a special award ceremony presented by Steph McGovern in her Packed Lunch studio, Leeds College of Building apprentice Zara Dupont received gold in the Plastering and Drywall Systems category.
Often dubbed the ‘Skills Olympics’, the competition is delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in partnership with WorldSkills UK and offers a chance for trainees to compete in a bid to be crowned winner of their chosen trade.
Zara said:
“I wasn’t expecting it, but I was hoping I would [do well] this year as I thought I did so much better than [after entering SkillBuild] last year. Seeing my name for gold left me a little speechless and shocked. Having this under my belt will hopefully give me a step ahead in life.”
Zara, from Bramley, has an exceptional track record of success. She completed a Level 2 Technical Certificate in Plastering at the College before starting an Interior Systems/Dry Lining Apprenticeship with Sparta Systems Ltd. Zara reached the WorldSkills UK final in 2021 as well as winning gold in 2022.
Zara also won the overall Governor’s Award at the College annual BIG award ceremony in 2022. The ceremony, hosted at Elland Road, celebrated outstanding student achievements over the 2021/22 academic year. Apprentices and students were selected for awards based on their academic achievements, but also for going the “extra mile” and overcoming adversity.
Zara picked up the ‘Plastering/Interior Systems Student of the Year’ award earlier in the evening before being selected for the Governors’ Award sponsored by Marlborough Brickwork Ltd - the top prize of the night.
Zara continued:
“Winning the Governors’ Award was a complete surprise too. I didn’t even know there was an overall winner, so hearing my name at the end was a really nice surprise! I just don’t have the words. It’s been two years of hard work so far, and I’m excited about my apprenticeship. I’ve had a great experience at Leeds College of Building and am thankful for the training I’ve received.”
