Champion job: Amos Group director Will Thomson (left) congratulates bricklayer Jonathan Bourne on his selection for the WorldSkills championships in Japan, as current and former apprentices raise their hats in salute.

 

 

Star bricklayer bids for world title in Japan

November 1, 2007

The Amos Group’s star young bricklayer Jonathan Bourne will be going for gold when he represents the UK in the skills ‘ Olympics’ in Japan this month.

Jonathan will be pitting his trowel skills against young bricklayers from around the world in the WorldSkills competition starting in Shizuoka, Japan on November 14.

The 20-year-old is one of the 22-strong UK team taking part in the championships. The event will see 850 young people from 45 countries compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in categories ranging from construction skills to web design.

Since joining the local property development group as a teenage apprentice, Jonathan has won a series of honours for his bricklaying skills, topped by gold in the UK Skills finals earlier this year. Now he hopes to go one better and bring the world title back to the Moorlands.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Jonathan. “It will be fantastic to travel to Japan and it’s a great honour to represent my country.”

In true Olympic style, the UK team have been kitted out with national uniforms and will take part in grand opening and closing ceremonies, with up to 200,000 spectators expected during the event.

“The WorldSkills competition is a really big event and lasts for nearly three weeks. When I first started training I never thought I would finish up taking part in something like this,” added Jonathan.

Under the direction of a personal skills trainer, Jonathan has been involved in intensive training over the summer both at Stoke-on-Trent College and for five week-long sessions in York.

Now he’s ready to take on representatives from 21 other countries in the final, demonstrating a range of specialist techniques during a four-day brickwork project.

Will Thomson, Amos Group director, said that hopes were high for Jonathan’s medal bid.

“We have been delighted to support Jonathan’s training over the years. Through his hard work and determination he has developed truly world class skills,” he said.

“We are all rooting for him and wish him the very best of luck in Japan.”