Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year looks towards tackling skills challenges

The 38th Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition begins this month, with a series of regional heats across the UK to find the best young decorator in the country.

The winners of the regional rounds will face-off at the Skills Show, at the NEC Birmingham, for the finals of the Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year contest. 

Stand-out contestants will also be nominated for selection for the WorldSkills UK Squad, which competes at an international level. The competition winner will also be awarded a £1,000 cash prize.

“Modernise or Die”

Launched in the 1970s, the Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition is even more relevant today, as it sets an example of how to raise the profile of the industry, create a culture of self-improvement and learning, and help bridge the industry’s skills shortage. 

The competition has been cited as a way to address some of the issues raised in The Farmer Review, entitled “Modernise or Die”, that was launched last October, including workforce size and demographics, lack of collaborations and improvement culture and poor industry image. 

Kevin O’Donnell, Crown Paints’ Product Trainer and Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year Competition Manager, commented: “With trainees of all ages and from across the UK able to enter, the Crown Trade Apprentice decorator of the Year appeals across a wide demographic. 

The competition heats are also held at colleges across the country, overseen by college lecturers, industry leaders and Crown Paints’ staff, which means we can make the most of the framework in place to build relations and create a culture of collaboration.”

Kevin continued: “To compete in front of thousands of people at The Skills Show is an extraordinary experience. To also have the chance to compete in WorldSkills is nothing short of phenomenal. 

Crown Paints makes a significant investment in the Crown Trade Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition, including the provision of all the paint products and staffing and resources for the regional heats, as well as the final. We also offer the same level of support for the WorldSkills competition.

We do it because we believe it is vital that we attract the next generation of professionals to enter the industry and we do all we can to encourage them to hone their skills to the highest level.”

Crown Trade,
PO Box 37,
Hollins Road,
Darwen,
BB3 0BG,
United Kingdom,

Phone 0330 0240310
Fax 01254 774414

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