Truro Apprentice reaches National Finals

Jordan Stone from Truro and Penwith College brings home the trophy for Truro and goes through to the national finals of the Gorilla Glue Apprentice of the Year competition.

The UK’s most recognised adhesive brand[1], Gorilla Glue, has launched the Apprentice of the Year competition to find the UK’s most talented and Tough Apprentice. Working with 7 colleges across the UK, the competition commenced in September 2017 and culminates in March 2018, when the 2018 Apprentice of the Year will be announced.

The apprentices at Truro and Penwith College were tasked with creating external garden furniture and external planters, using reusable timber and local Delabole slate. The students were then asked to present their creations to the judges.

Jordan will now go onto the finals where he will need to come up with his own upcycling project and video diary, detailing every step, for the finals judges.

The finals judges will comprise of Gorilla Glue Europe MD Simon Damp, Apprentice Builder Magazine Assistant Editor Kieran Nee, and former BBC Young Carpenter of the Year Tibby Singh Chodha.

Karl Sanderson, Tutor at Truro and Penwith College, said: “This has been a great competition for the College and it has had a huge impact on the students, involved. Healeys Cornish Cider Farm kindly donated the barrel that was used and upcycled for the winning project. The chair will now be donated back to Healeys, to be used in their coffee bar, for all to see.

“The projects that the students produced were great, but we know that there are ways that we can improve for next time and we will produce something even better! The entire college is backing Jordan in the finals and we hope that he will bring home the trophy for Truro and Cornwall!”

Truro and Penwith College winner, Jordan Stone, said: “When we were offered the opportunity to join the competition we thought that it would be really exciting, and it was great to donate our services to a local business, too. I sat down and really thought about my project as I knew that I wanted to keep it looking original. I’m now really looking forward to competing in the finals!”

Simon Damp, Managing Director of Gorilla Glue Europe said: “We have launched the 2018 Apprentice of the Year competition to work with the trade professionals of the future and to find an apprentice who really stands out, with talent and a natural flair for their trade.

“We were extremely impressed by the quality of all of the apprentices work at Truro and Penwith College, and the hard work that their project demonstrated. However, Jordan really stood out, and this project really fits the Gorilla Glue credentials; it is tough, durable and he is a worthy winner of the Truro and Penwith heats.”

Supporting all the colleges participating in the Apprentice of the Year competition, the Gorilla Glue team also developed an interactive demonstration day for the students at the college and has donated a year’s supply of Gorilla Glue products.

The winner of the Gorilla Glue Apprentice of the Year competition, 2018, will win an Apprentice of the Year trophy, a year’s supply of Gorilla Glue products and trade tools worth up to £300.

The Gorilla Glue Apprentice of the Year competition, forms part of the Gorilla Glue Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, to give students a clear advantage and a head start in their chosen trade.

To find out more about Gorilla Glue visit www.gorillaglue.com