Bridgwater & Taunton College has been selected to host two prestigious national construction student competitions at its Taunton campus on Tuesday 18 January 2022.

The HIP Learner of the Year is for Level 2 and Level 3 Plumbing students, while the SPARKS Learner of the Year is for Level 2 and Level 3 Electrical students. BTC will host the first of six regional contests featuring apprentices and full-time learners hoping to gain a place in the national final and win one of these coveted awards.

Contestants from across Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall will complete a live, practical installation in the recently upgraded Construction workshops at BTC’s Taunton campus. Over £1.6 million has been invested in site as a whole to provide facilities for new T Levels qualifications.

Two BTC students have won the competition in previous years, going on to complete their apprenticeships with local employers, and qualifying for World Skills competition, due to take place in June. This year, three BTC students competing against 22 other trainees in the HIP and SPARKS competitions.

Industry representatives will also attend, including big names such as Panasonic, Kingspan, Worcester Bosch, Dewalt Power Tools, Ideal Industries, Schneider Electric and NAPIT, one of the leading Government approved and United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited membership scheme operators.

For more information about Construction and other apprenticeships on offer at BTC, visit the Apprenticeships & Vacancies page, or come to one of our January open events.