By WorldSkills UK
There has been more success for Team UK at the WorldSkills international competitions this week. As well as adding to the medal collection, Team UK members have been picking up special awards for hitting world-class standards in a range skills vital to the UK remaining internationally competitive.
Craig Kennedy from Newtownards in Northern Ireland led the way this week with a bronze medal in the Car Painting final in Denmark. He took on rivals from 14 other countries in the four-day competition in Silkeborg. Youngsters from France and Korea ultimately pipped Craig to the top spot, but he was delighted with his podium finish and bronze medal.
Craig Kennedy said: “Winning bronze in Denmark is incredible and I’m over the moon that all the hard work has finally paid off. The whole experience has been brilliant and will be a massive boost to my career. I’d like to thank my training manager Richard Wheeler, Riverpark training, everyone who has helped me along the way and WorldSkills UK for the amazing opportunity.”
Team UK bagged a further five medallions for excellence – given to competitors judged to have reached a world class standard – this week. Mona Nawaz kicked things off with a world-class performance in the new digital construction competition in Bordeaux where the 23-year-old from Motherwell took on 13 rivals using cutting edge computer programme to design buildings.
Also recognised as world-class was 22-year-old welder Will Hunt from Stapenhill in Derbyshire who was flying the flag for the UK out in the United States. The Rolls-Royce PLC employee, whose day job is working on nuclear subs from their Derby base, was up against the best young welders from 25 other countries in Cleveland, Ohio at the welding competition.
Closer to home, Team UK won another three medallions for excellence. Ellie Mumby finished fifth in the hairdressing competition in Helsinki while Simi Fedorava just missed out on a medal in Lucerne, Switzerland finishing fourth in the restaurant services final. Both were judged to have hit the world-class standard and received medallions for excellence, as did Ash Hellowell from Halifax who was competing in the cooking final in Lucerne.
WorldSkills UK Deputy CEO Ben Blackledge said:
“It’s been another very extraordinary week for Team UK and we are so proud of all our competitors. Adding more medals and medallions for excellence to our tally demonstrates that the UK really does have the talent to develop and deliver world-class skills.
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“Following an impressive clean sweep of medallions of in the digital competitions in South Korea last week, it is really encouraging to see Mona Nawaz judged to be world-class in the new digital construction competition. Coming in the week the new Prime Minister put digital skills at the heart of plans to improve growth and productivity, it is brilliant to see Team UK leading the way like this.”
The talented young men and women are part of a 35-strong Team UK competing in a multi-country international skills competition throughout October and November. The event features 61 finals with over 1,000 competitors in 15 countries. The finals usually take place one city as part of a 10-day festival of competition. However, this year’s event scheduled in Shanghai was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Team UK currently has one gold medal (won by James Boyce in cabinet making), three bronzes (industry 4.0, jewellery and Craig Kennedy’s for car painting) and 10 medallions for excellence.
Next week Connor Cruden will be competing in Germany in the plumbing competition whilst Cornwall Thomas Nowell and Aaron Gillespie from Armagh in Northern Ireland are going for gold in Bolzano in Italy in the painting & decorating and tiling finals respectively.
The UK will also host its first international competitions for over a decade when skilled youngsters from across the globe arrive in Wales for two events.
The aircraft maintenance final will take place at the International Centre for Aerospace Training (ICAT), which is part of Cardiff and Vale College from Tuesday 1 November to Friday 4 November. Ewan Payne from Oxfordshire will be hoping to repeat the success enjoyed by Haydn Jakes when he bagged the gold medal in 2019.
While George Denman from Swansea, Michael Jones from Caerphilly and Charlie Samson from Wrexham will be hoping to make home advantage count when the Welsh trio compete in the manufacturing team challenge final in Wrexham from 1-4 November.
More medals and success for team at international skills competitions was published on FE News by WorldSkills UK
Source: FE News
