Leading decorating and DIY specialist Leyland is offering a £2,000 prize to a trade apprentice in the capital who has excelled in their work over the last year.
That could be by showing extraordinary commitment to their learning, producing outstanding work or going the extra mile to help a customer.
The winner will receive £2,000 to spend at any of Leyland’s 35 stores, allowing them to stock up on tools and materials to take the next step in their career, as well as a gold-plated trophy.
Martin Hastings, CEO at Leyland, said: “We’re delighted to launch the inaugural Apprentice of the Year competition.
“Our 35 stores across London are very popular with tradespeople, many of whom visit daily for their supplies and trade quality paints, tools and equipment. We know many of those are supported by hardworking, eager apprentices, so we wanted to find a way to celebrate the best of the crop.
“We’re keen to hear from tradespeople, explaining why their apprentice should win. That could be because of exceptional work they have completed, an amazing attitude or overcoming obstacles.
“The prize money will allow our winner to get all the tools they need to set themselves up for a long career in the trade, while the title of Leyland Apprentice of the Year will also be much coveted.”
Tradespeople can nominate their apprentice at leylandsdm.co.uk/apprenticenomination, explaining in no more than 200 words why they should win.
Entries are open from June 2 to June 29 and the winner will be decided by a team of experts.
According to a recent survey, not enough young people are considering a career as a tradesperson, which means those retiring aren’t being replaced by younger workers.
A lack of skilled workers is set to affect all trades, with a predicted shortage of painters and decorators of around 28,000 across the UK by 2030.
Martin said: “The skills shortage is a major issue and apprenticeships have a role to play in plugging the gap by bringing new people into the trade professions.
“We hope our new award helps to raise the profile of tradespeople in London and encourage others to consider it as a career option.”
Leyland has 35 stores in prominent locations across London, stocking a comprehensive range of thousands of products across all departments, including paint and decorating essentials, building materials, electrical fittings, tools and plumbing equipment.
Some of the biggest and best-known trade and DIY brands are available at Leyland, including Dulux, Johnstone’s, Leyland Trade, Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Paint & Paper Library, Tesa, Bahco, Bosch, Purdy, Stanley, Ronseal and DEWALT.
Visit leylandsdm.co.uk for more information.