Fife apprentice in top ten bidding for national award and £10,000 prize package

Troy Stein is currently studying plumbing and heating at Fife College, and will join nine other trade apprentices from across the UK and Ireland, in a bid to be crowned Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2025.

The winner, who will be announced at the two-day final in May, will take home an incredible prize bundle of tools, training and technology worth £10,000 – while also scooping £2,000 of Screwfix vouchers for their college.

Since beginning his plumbing and heating journey, Troy, 23, has already completed a year of industry work experience to build his knowledge ahead of his apprenticeship. Later in his career, after gaining years of hand-on experience, Troy hopes to transition into lecturing - sharing his knowledge and skills with the next generation of tradespeople. His unmatched commitment for going the extra mile, supporting others, and relentless work ethic saw him stand out in the semi-finals, after being selected from more than 2,000 applications.

Troy said: “I can’t believe I’ve made it through to the finals. When I submitted my application, I never dreamed I’d make it this far. It’s also so exciting to be representing Glenrothes at the national final.

“The heating industry is highly rewarding to work in, so to be recognised for my skills and dedication at this level is such a huge compliment.

“The competition is an incredible opportunity to showcase what I’ve learned so far, while highlighting the importance of trade apprentices in shaping the future of the plumbing and heating industry – and I’m looking forward to the final where I can take my creativity and skills to a new level.”

Jack Wallace, Screwfix marketing director, said: “Apprenticeships are vital to the growth of the trade industry, ensuring we have talented individuals entering the workforce with the skills required to succeed.

“The competition is about spotlighting passionate apprentices who are paving the way for the future. We’re thrilled to celebrate this next generation of tradespeople. The talent we see is just getting better and better, so I already know it will be a tricky decision for the judges to make on the day.”