A 26-year-old tradeswoman from Didcot has progressed to the semi-finals of a prestigious national competition for skilled workers.

Jaimie Lewis is competing for the 2026 Screwfix Trade Apprentice award after outshining over 3,000 candidates from throughout the UK and Ireland.

She is undertaking a Level 3 Electrotechnical qualification on a part-time basis through JTL Oxford.

Lewis expressed her joy at reaching this stage of the competition, noting that being chosen from such a record-breaking pool of applicants represents a significant personal milestone. She also mentioned her enthusiasm about the possibility of showcasing Didcot on a national platform.

Should she advance further, Lewis stands to receive a £10,000 package of trade equipment, training opportunities, and technology.

The apprentice emphasised that she treasures the daily learning experience and has a particular passion for sustainable energy solutions and intelligent home technologies. She noted that as the sole female on both her construction site and in her college classes, she consistently pushes herself to excel.

Lewis is managing her academic commitments alongside her professional work while also caring for her two young sons.

Jack Wallace, the company’s marketing director, stated that Screwfix, as a trade supplier, takes pride in supporting craftspeople throughout the UK and Ireland. He described reaching the semi-final stage as an impressive accomplishment and extended best wishes to all contestants aiming for the grand final.

The concluding phase of the contest is scheduled to take place at Google’s UK headquarters in April.

Further details can be found at screwfix.com/SFTA.