The first 32 members of Team UK for this year’s WorldSkills competition in Abu Dhabi have been announced.
The young people, many apprentices or college students, beat off thousands of fellow competitors in regional, national and international skills competitions, including the team selection competition in Manchester last month. They also had to meet a tough international standard to be able to make the team to compete on the world stage in their respective skill.
Participants now have a further six months of rigorous training ahead before heading to the WorldSkills final in October to compete in skills from aircraft maintenance and mechanical engineering to restaurant service and cyber security.
‘More important than international sport’
WorldSkills UK chief executive Neil Bentley said this was “a critical moment for the future of these inspirational young people - and our economy”.
“The WorldSkills finals in Abu Dhabi are more important than international sporting fixtures, spurring on competitors to achieve the highest international standards to inspire more and more young people to get into apprenticeships and technical careers, getting them off to the best start in work and life.”
He added: “Our ability to produce the right number of skilled, motivated,young people is vital for productivity, competitiveness and economic growth. Team UK represents the very future success of our economy and what they represent will help determine whether we thrive or fail post-Brexit.”
WorldSkills finals are held every two years - alternating with EuroSkills competitions, which last year were held in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 2015 at the most recent WorldSkills competition, held in São Paulo, Brazil, Team UK finished seventh overall in the medal table.
The first 32 members of Team UK:
Skill
First name
Surname
Training Provider
Aircraft Maintenance
Joseph
Massey
Coleg Cambria
Landscape Gardening
Will
Burberry
Merrist Wood College
Landscape Gardening
Adam
Ferguson
CAFRE
Mechanical Engineering CAD
Betsy
Crosbie
New College Lanarkshire
Web Design
Alfie
Hopkin
Coleg Sir Gar
Plumbing and Heating
Daniel
Martins
EAS Mechanical
Beauty Therapy
Kaiya
Swain
Lewes Sussex Downs College
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Jake
Green
Bradford College / STEGTA
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Alexander
McCluskey
STEGTA
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Jacob
Parker
STEGTA
Carpentry
Cameron
Nutt
North West Regional College
Cabinet Making
Angus
Bruce-Gardner
Waters and Acland
Welding
Josh
Peek
Great Yarmouth College
Mechatronics
Samuel
Hillier
Toyota Manufacturing UK
Mechatronics
Tom
Revell
Toyota Manufacturing UK
Cyber Security (IT Network Administration)
Shane
Carpenter
Nescot
Painting and Decorating
Jordan
Charters
Edinburgh College
Autobody Repair
Andrew
Gault
Riverpark Traning
3D Digital Game Art
Daniel
McCabe
West Cheshire College
Architectural Stonemasonry
Archie
Stoke-Faiers
Weymouth College
Visual Merchandising and Window Dressing
Catherine
Abbott
East Berkshire College
Bricklaying
Joshua
Hunter
Hull College
Restaurant Service
Elizabeth
Forkuoh
Coleg Sir Gar
Jewellery
Alexander
Wood
The Goldsmiths’ Centre
Electrical Installation
Matthew
Doe
Bridgwater College
Joinery
Conor
Willmott
West Suffolk college
Wall and Floor Tiling
Armondas
Tamulis
Southern Regional College
Hairdressing
Bridie
Thorne
Train with Pride
Plastering and Dry Wall Systems
Harrison
Moy
British Gypsum
Construction Metal Work
Macaulay
Reavill
Grimsby Institute
Patisserie and Confectionery
Steven
Lodge
Hull College
CNC Milling
Ethan
Davies
Coleg Cambria
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