Published on 19 - June - 2012

News

NG Bailey sweeps the board at SkillPIPE

Kelvyn Scorer, employed by N G Bailey, has scooped the top prize in the first UK-wide semi-final of the SkillPIPE competition to find the country's best pipefitter.

Twenty-year-old Kelvyn battled it out with other competitors in the first semi-final heat of the SkillPIPE competition at Gateshead College on 30 May. The challenge is part of the nationwide Skill m&e competitions organised by SummitSkills, the sector skills council for building services engineering.

N G Bailey apprentices performed very well in the competition, securing first, second and third places. Second place went to 21-year-old Jonathan Morton and in third place was Jack Connolly, 20. All three winners study at the N G Bailey Engineering Academy.

The highest-scoring competitors from across the two UK heats go on to compete in the UK-wide finals of SkillPIPE, which will take place at The Skills Show in November at the NEC, Birmingham.

Kelvyn Scorer said: "This was one of the hardest things I've ever done in this job but all of my training with the N G Bailey Engineering Academy paid off when they said I was the winner of the competition. N G Bailey, my employer, has really been behind me all the way and their confidence in me definitely helped."

Neil Collishaw, head of skills competitions and awards at organisers SummitSkills, said: "Congratulations to Kelvyn and well done to all the competitors. They were presented with a difficult task, but rose to challenge and the judges were impressed with the level of skill they showed."

Contestants had to undertake two practical tasks within six hours. The first was to install and pressure test a pump set. This involved the installation of solvent welded HTA, assembly of steel fittings, assorted valves, flanges and gaskets, all complying with good practice and relevant industry standards. The second task required the candidates to weld two butt joints to standards set by premier sponsor B&ES, by using either manual metal arc or oxy acetylene welding equipment.

For more information about the SkillPIPE competition, visit www.skillmande.org.uk