June 2025 Inspiration: Jimmy Stobbart

Jimmy started his career in the construction industry as a bricklayer in the 1980s. He was highly regarded as a craftsperson with a focus on quality, a team player who had time for everyone and an ability to support others in achieving their best.

These qualities transferred seamlessly, when in 1994 Jimmy started teaching brickwork at Sunderland College. Jimmy has been a stalwart of the education and training landscape, developing generation after generation of new bricklaying talent for the sector, not only in the North-East but nationally and internationally through his role as a World Skills UK Ambassador. Jimmy is also a long-standing and much valued member of the Guild of Bricklayers.

In developing high quality crafts people, Jimmy has been a huge advocate for competition participation, and the numerous champions he has trained are also testament to his absolute commitment to the craft of bricklaying.

After 31 years delivery and leading brickwork programmes, Jimmy is now impacting even further across the construction sector with a new role of Curriculum Manager for Construction, still at Sunderland College.

I am pleased to nominate Jimmy Stobbart for celebration on BTTBs inspiration of the month page, of the work he does and the amazing support he delivers to our sector