Screwfix Launches Trade Apprentice Competition in Ireland to Promote the Benefits of a Career in the Trade
The winner will receive a career-boosting accolade and a €10,000 prize bundle from Screwfix
08 February 2021: Leading omnichannel retailer, Screwfix, has announced that it will open its annual ‘Screwfix Trade Apprentice’ competition to the Irish market on February 8th with entries being accepted online until the 22nd of February. Go to Screwfix.ie/sfta to apply.
The UK based retailer, which trades online at Screwfix.ie and across 12 stores in Ireland, is extending its annual competition to Irish colleagues and customers to support young people who are working in the construction sector. The pandemic has presented many challenges to the construction industry, with the current closure of sites significantly impacting employment and ongoing learning opportunities for young apprentices.
Demand for essential construction services has remained high and Irish tradespeople have continued to work throughout the pandemic with many reporting that they have had to say no to jobs because they are too busy and there are not enough other skilled tradespeople to support them. According to Solas, the State agency tasked with building Ireland’s Further Education and Training, there were4,687 live apprenticeships in the construction sector at the end of 2020. To support this sector and achieve growing housebuilding targets into 2021, it will be vital to sustain these ‘earn and learn’ opportunities for youth employment.
In response to the need to support a skilled workforce at apprentice level, Screwfix has launched its ‘Screwfix Trade Apprentice’ competition to celebrate and encourage those looking to start out in construction.
Following the launch of the Screwfix Top Tradesperson competition last year, the retailer is now extending the career-boosting accolade to apprentices nationwide to celebrate their outstanding work and professionalism as a first of its kind to support the growing trade industry in Ireland. The winner will walk away with a €10K bundle including high spec tools, the latest technology to boost their trade and training to support their ongoing development. The worthy winner will prove to be a standout candidate in their trade, an innovative thinker and a professional who goes above and beyond for their customers.
Now in its 7th year, ‘Screwfix Trade Apprentice’ is a staple competition in the calendar for thousands of UK apprentice tradespeople. The expansion into Ireland comes after a strong year from the leading retailer with 12 store openings across Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Ennis, Waterford, including the recent openings of Tullamore and Limerick in January.
Speaking about the launch of ‘Screwfix Trade Apprentice’, Simon Jackson, Customer and Digital Director of Screwfix said: “Screwfix has been well received by the Irish trade industry ever since we opened our doors in 2019 and we’ve worked together to ensure our hardware stores remained open to safely supply essential workers, many of whom kept homes warm, safe and with power. This has allowed us to see first-hand just how busy Irish tradespeople are and the importance of nurturing the brightest new talent to support this growing industry. We are thrilled to bring our Screwfix Trade Apprentice competition to Ireland as we search for exciting new talent in the construction industry.
“Every year we are amazed by the outstanding quality of entrants and this year we are on the lookout for apprentices who go above and beyond to succeed within their chosen trade. We’ve seen how this career-boosting accolade and prize bundle helps kick start an apprentice’s career. Good luck to everyone who enters, we can’t wait to crown our winner!”
The competition is free to enter and open to all apprentices across Ireland and the UK who are in college or working with a mentor. Apprentices can enter directly or be put forward by their college lecturer or their employer. All entrants must be over the age of 16. Entries for ‘Screwfix’s Trade Apprentice’ are open until 22nd of February 2021. To find out more and to enter, please search Screwfix.ie/sfta
