After careful consideration, the three winners—Gabbi Day, Ben Mills, and Chris Wilson—were selected by a judging panel consisting of Rob Rees, divisional director of Markel Direct, James Wilson, marketing manager of Festool, and Robin Clevett, carpenter and host of the Carpentry Show on Fix Radio.

The winners of The Nation’s A* Trades Apprentice Award 2025 are:

1. Chris Wilson, an apprentice carpenter and joiner from Birmingham, was nominated by his employer, Rafael Rose James of RRJ Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.

Rafael shared, “Chris continues to go above and beyond my expectations. His work ethic is fresh air. He has made me want to not just be the best teacher I can for him but also push the company into new heights, taking on bigger and better jobs as we progress together.”

After receiving the award, Chris commented: “I felt very honoured and privileged knowing that Rafael thinks of me in high regard, and it makes me feel like all my hard work has been recognised.”.

2. Gabbi Day, a roofing apprentice from Chesterfield, was nominated by her employer Philip Dalton, managing director of Dalton Roofing. Philip said, “Gabbi is a great role model for young women: she comes with a smile every day. She asks questions and constantly wants to learn.”

Gabbi shared that being nominated was a massive achievement for her, and winning the development package will help her progress at work, especially as it is challenging to know and purchase the tools you often need as an apprentice.

3. Ben Mills, a mature plumbing apprentice at Warwickshire College, received a nomination from his college mentor, Amanda Bodycote, who shared: “As a mature student, Ben has faced challenges along the way. However, he has always supported his peers, whom everyone looks to for guidance.”

On winning the award, Ben said, “Winning the prize will help me with my work, as I’ll have better-quality tools that I can become comfortable with and hopefully improve my competency.”

All three winners received a development package consisting of: a Festool toolkit and accessories worth £4,000, 24-hour tools cover for a year from Markel Direct worth £294, and a £750 voucher to spend on trades clothing at workwear and tools provider ITS.