Chichester student shortlisted for UK Young Builder of the Year award

A Chichester College student is in the running for a national award.

Quisha Ellick has been shortlisted for the Youthbuild UK Young Builder of the Year Awards, after being nominated by the bricklaying lecturing team in recognition of her achievements during her time at the college.

Quisha joined the college in 2021, on a level 1 bricklaying course. Having struggled with low self-esteem and anxiety, she has striven to succeed – progressing onto the level 2 course the following year and by the end of the year she was achieving distinctions in all her work and was even volunteering within the brickwork department.

Neil Redman, Teaching & Learning Manager for Construction, said: “Quisha is a student who has overcome an enormous amount during her life. She has overcome significant challenges and thrived to succeed as a brickwork student.

“But she challenged herself to overcome her anxiety and she has excelled at every turn. For the past two years, Quisha has worked determinedly to achieve her level 2 bricklaying qualification and she has done so with distinction.

“She’s been a pleasure for the team to teach, producing industry standard practical work. She’s also volunteered within the department – working with students from local schools to facilitate taster sessions in bricklaying and has even expressed an interest to work in a college teaching environment.”

Quisha added: “It’s a big achievement, I wasn’t expecting it to be honest.

“When Neil and Steve told me they’d put me forward for this, I never thought there would be a chance that I’d make the shortlist. I mean, I’m just me.

“When I got the letter saying I had been shortlisted, I thought they had sent it to me by mistake. I had to double check it and get my mum to check it and make sure it was right!”

Quisha will find out whether she’s won at a special ceremony at the House of Commons on Wednesday 18 October.

Helen Loftus, Chichester College Principal, said: “We’re all so proud of Quisha.

“Youthbuild UK described this year’s standard of entry as being notably high, so to be selected by the judging panel as a finalist is incredibly impressive and, on behalf of the whole college, we wish her the best of luck!”