OCN has announced their sponsorship at the SkillBuild NI Regional Competition 2026. The partnership highlights OCN’s continuous commitment to fostering talent across Northern Ireland and supporting the development of essential skills within the construction industry.
The Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI) in partnership with Southern Regional College announced SkillBuild NI 2026 regional competition which will take place on Tuesday 19 May 2026, at Southern Regional College, Greenbank Campus, Newry.
The annual competition is a search for the top performers within construction apprenticeship and traineeship programmes from across Northern Ireland and a showcase of the wealth of talent, professionalism, and the brightest recruits throughout the industry.
The brightest recruits and top performers within construction apprenticeship and traineeship programmes from across Northern Ireland, will compete against each other to win in categories ranging from brickwork to wall and floor tiling. The competition is designed to test skills, technique, ability within tight timeframes, and identifies the top performers in 11 different trade areas.
Supported by Department for the Economy, local suppliers and local construction companies, the competition provides an opportunity to showcase the high level of skills and the impressive talent within the workforce, as well as raising the status and standards of professional and technical education and training.
Winners from the NI Regional Competition, will have the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland in the SkillBuild UK National finals later in the year.
Last year, a record 370 NI students competed in the Intercampus Competitions, NI Regional Heat, UK Finals hosted by World Skills UK and CITB (GB) and EuroSkills. Sponsorship to make the NI competitions so special, helps to encourage young people to improve their skills whilst increasing their confidence. In September 2026, 3 NI students who were supported previously by our NI sponsors have the chance to compete in Shanghai, and they are likely to compete in practice rounds in South Korea, Germany and China.
Southern Regional College and CITB NI are working on plans to showcase the competition to local schools, supporting CITB NI’s mission to encourage new entrants into the industry with progression into further education.
Martin Flynn, OCN Chief Executive Officer said:
“We are delighted to be one of the sponsors of the SkillBuild NI Regional Competition 2026, an event that celebrates the outstanding talent emerging from construction training programmes across Northern Ireland. This competition provides a fantastic platform for apprentices to showcase their skills, while also highlighting the importance of continuous learning and development within the industry. On behalf of the OCN team, I would like to wish all competitors the very best of luck in the 2026 competition.”
