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Craven College Lecturer Judges International Competition

Published 04 September

Ian Maltby one of our Bricklaying Lecturers recently took his expertise and experience to judge in the finals of Super Trowel, the ultimate bricklaying competition.

Super Trowel Competition

Launched to celebrate the craftsmanship, speed, and precision of bricklayers, the UK’s fastest and most skilled bricklayers come together at the competition to showcase their talents. With events from laying the most bricks in record time to perfecting the finer details of a wall, the prestigious event promotes fierce competition!

Super Trowel promises exciting challenges and top-tier prizes, but more than that it gives the bricklaying community the chance to come together to celebrate and inspire whilst making those all-important industry connections.

Applications to judge in the final were made on the Brickwork Tutors Toolbox (BTTB), a freely available resource available to empower bricklaying tutors and students created by Super Trowel Head Judge Peter Roberts. Ian applied and was accepted to judge at the Northern Regional Heat at York College, and from there was asked to judge in the national final.

The 2025 final took place at Stoneleigh Park in Kenilworth on 13 and 14 August and was a packed weekend full of skill and information.

Ian was one of twenty-one other judges in the Main Arena. As part of the judging process a marking criterion must be met with faults marked by deductions from their overall brick count.

Super Trowel Competition
Super Trowel Competition
Super Trowel Competition
Ian Maltby and Charlie Collison

Competitors had just one hour to late as many bricks as possible, with the top English competitor Charlie Collison laying an incredible 903 bricks and finishing second in the competition. Ian came home with his competition shirt for one of our apprentices! After an impressive competitive career, Charlie has now retired from competitions to focus on his home and work life.

Ian was judging the lane of bricklayer Tom Humphrey, who finished in 3rd place and is heading out to Las Vegas from 19 to 20 January to compete in Spec Mix, the World Championship Event at World of Concrete.

Ian Maltby, Lecturer in Bricklaying said, “It was an amazing experience to be in the Main Arena with 12 top bricklayers from the UK, 1 from Australia and the current US Spec Mix Champion Cole Stamper, there were an amazing 3500 people in the arena to watch the main event!

Vocational
TitleLevel
Access to FELevel 1
BricklayingLevel 1, Level 2
Carpentry & JoineryLevel 1, Level 2
Construction Trades (Multi-skills)Level 1
Electrical InstallationLevel 2
Painting & DecoratingLevel 1, Level 2
PlasteringLevel 1, Level 2
PlumbingLevel 1, Level 2
Apprenticeships
TitleLevel
Bricklayer ApprenticeshipLevel 2
Carpentry & Joinery ApprenticeshipLevel 2
Craft Bricklayer Apprenticeship New CourseLevel 3
Craft Carpentry & Joinery ApprenticeshipLevel 3
Electrical Installation Apprenticeship New CourseLevel 3
Painter & Decorator ApprenticeshipLevel 2
Plasterer ApprenticeshipLevel 2
Plumbing & Domestic Heating Apprenticeship Under DevelopmentLevel 3
Part-time
TitleStart
Brickwork - IntroductionTue 24 February 2026
Electrical Installation Level 2 DiplomaTue 16 September 2025
Electrical Level 1 Certificate (Construction Skills)Tue 4 November 2025
Joinery - IntroductionTue 30 September 2025
Painting and Decorating - IntroductionTue 13 January 2026
Plastering - IntroductionSat 18 October 2025
Plastering Level 1 Award (Construction Skills)Thu 25 September 2025
Plastering Level 1 Certificate (Construction Skills)Thu 15 January 2026
Plumbing Level 1 Certificate (Construction Skills)Thu 6 November 2025
Stonework - IntroductionTue 23 September 2025
Wallpapering - IntroductionThu 6 November 2025
T-Levels
TitleLevel
Building Services Engineering (BSE) for Construction - Electrotechnical Engineering (Electrical Installation) T LevelLevel 3
Meet the team
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