A BARNSLEY lad who left school at 14 and with no qualifications has been named apprentice of the year.
Billy Wood, 19, of Westfields, Worsbrough Bridge, won first place at the Chartered Institute of Builders annual awards in Sheffield.
Billy has been training with Barnsley Community Build for more than three years after leaving Barnsley Academy at Kendray.
He studied joinery on a learning programme and is now on an apprenticeship and has an NVQ level two and diploma level two.
He has been offered an interview with B&Q at Stairfoot, where he's currently an apprentice.
"I didn't think I'd won because the other finalist had got lots of qualifications and had done an apprenticeship with a big company.
"But I'm glad I won. I was presented with a trophy and a cheque for £500 which I'm going to put away.
"I didn't have a good time at school and got into a bit of trouble but now I've got my head down."
Although his time with BCB has now finished, Billy continued as a volunteer and acting supervisor on a refurbishment project creating bedsits for people with mental health problems.
The South Yorkshire Construction Training Group receives nominations from organisations in the construction industry where excellence and achievement in training and development has been achieved.
