A YOUNG trainee cabinet maker from Stonehouse has scooped a top award at a regional construction competition.

Thomas Laming, 20, was named the best senior cabinet maker in the regional heats of the national construction competition SkillBuild 2014.

Over 100 young construction trainees battled it out in their chosen trade with skills such as bricklaying, wall and floor tiling and painting and decorating all being put to the test.

Thomas, who studies at Gloucestershire College beat off stiff competition from around the region including Stoke on Trent, Dudley and Worcester.

Birmingham’s regional heat is the latest of 14 taking place across the UK, with the top 10 competitors from across the 14 heats going through to the national final at the Skills Show at Birmingham’s NEC in November.

SkillBuild has taken place for about 40 years. travelling around the country looking for the best in regional talent.

The competition is organised and supported by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board for the construction industry.

Catherine Bullough, CITB sector strategy manager for the West Midlands region, said: “We’re really excited to bring SkillBuild 2014 to Birmingham. There is some great construction talent in the region so we’re looking forward to seeing what our young apprentices can do.

“SkillBuild is all about the way that people setting out on their construction career work. Most of the competitors are still learning so it’s not just about the finished article, it’s about the whole process that they go through.”