FIS announced the launch of its #iBuiltThis2019 competition at WorldSkills UK LIVE at the NEC in Birmingham last week.
As with previous competitions, #iBuiltThis2019 is an image-led campaign that celebrates the skills and talent within the construction industry and showcase projects built by people in relation to the built environment.
Iain McIlwee, CEO of FIS, said: “We chose to launch #iBuiltThis2019 at WorldSkills UK LIVE because the event is all about helping young people go further, faster in their careers, gaining the skills that employers need most. Not to mention that WorldSkills is the UK’s largest careers show, attracting over 72,000 visitors each year; engaging with colleges and young people here will help us to get some exciting entries for the 2019 competition.”
This simple competition is designed to promote careers in construction and get young people, the construction industry and the public to participate and show how proud they are of their contribution to the UK built environment in a fun, exciting and light-hearted way.
To encourage young people to get involved, the competition has been divided into three age groups with some fabulous prizes to be won: 13 and under (for the 2018 competition the prize was a family trip to Legoland with an overnight stay at Castle Hotel), 14-18 (an iPhone X) and 19 and over (a getaway for two adults in one of Canopy & Stars exclusive properties in the UK).
Entrants need to share a picture of themselves with an image of a completed project they have built, or helped to build, and then enter on the competition platform when it opens.
Encouraging photos of new buildings of any type, whether they’re made from Lego, Meccano, sand or even chocolate. Images of iconic buildings and breath-taking fit-out and interiors will be used to inspire people to see construction as a career of choice. The entries received will be diverse in both built environment images and the roles involved in their construction and images will be used to educate new entrants afterwards.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at UK Construction Week between 8–10 October 2019 by TV personality and architect George Clarke.
Nathan Garnett, UK Construction Week events director, said: “It is the simplicity of this initiative that makes it so brilliant. Anybody can enter, it embraces all forms of social media and it reminds us of the simple joy in making stuff and, at the same time, how construction is building our future.
“There was a great crop of entries in 2018 across the different age contests from Lego builds to intricate brickwork and relaxation spaces, all innovatively designed and built.”
Find out about partnering with FIS for #iBuiltThis2019: email skills@thefis.org or visit www.thefis.org/skills-hub/i-built-this-2019
