At the end of August, as many students and lecturers turn their attention to the start of a new academic year, a group of young people from across the UK will be focusing on an entirely different matter: winning gold at WorldSkills. 

What is WorldSkills?

WorldSkills is an international skills competition for vocational skills. A group of 16- to 25-year-olds competes against international peers in a huge range of skills - everything from bricklaying to hairdressing, aircraft maintenance to chemical laboratory technology. In total, this year up to 1,300 competitors from 63 countries will be competing in 56 skills. 

How often is it held? And where is it held?

WorldSkills is held every other year - and countries bid to host it. This year, it will be held in Kazan, Russia. During the year it isn’t held, a European version of the competition - EuroSkills - takes place. Last year, it was held in Budapest. In 2020, EuroSkills will be hosted by Austria, in Graz. 

Background:  Team UK announced for WorldSkills 2019 in Kazan

News:  Eight ways to embed WorldSkills expertise into FE

Listen:  Can WorldSkills transform education?

How is the team picked?

Young people compete in national qualifiers which take place throughout the UK. Those who are successful are then invited to take part in the national finals, which are held each year at WorldSkills UK Live in Birmingham. A larger squad then has to go through a selection process, where the final team is chosen. This year, there are 37 competitors heading to Kazan. 

What support do competitors have?

Competing in WorldSkills is a highly pressurised experience. Some competitors are accompanied by their parents, all of them are accompanied by a training manager. These training managers will have coached the young people to the international standards of excellence required to win medals at the competition over the past two years. 

Who are Team GB’s hopeful medal-winners? And what skills are they competing in?

Ethan Conlon

Bath College and APS Masonry 

Skill: Architectural stonemasonry 

Training manager: Marc Pate, Man of Stone 

Lewis Greenwood

York College and PDS Construction 

Skill: Bricklaying

Training manager: Michael Burdett, York College 

Owen Aldous

Chichester College and Callow & Co

Skill: Cabinet making

Training manager: Christian Notley, Chichester College 

Jack Goodrum

The College of West Anglia and Peter Goodrum Ltd

Skill: Carpentry

Training manager: Gareth Evans, University of Wales Trinity St David, Construction Wales Innovation Centre

Thomas Lewis

Cardiff and Vale College and Blue Electrical 

Skill: Electrical Installation

Training manager: Gareth Jones, Coleg Gwent

Christopher Caine

Pembrokeshire College and DH Carpentry and Joinery

Skill: Joinery

Training manager: Andrew Pengelly, Chichester College 

Samuel Taylor

Myerscough College and Garden TLC

Skill: Landscape Gardening 

Training manager: Simon Abbott, Simon Abbott Landscapes

Shea McFerran

CAFRE and Logan Landscape

Skill: Landscape Gardening 

Training manager: Simon Abbott, Simon Abbott Landscapes

Callum Bonner

Forth Valley College and Clackmannanshire Council 

Skill: Painting and decorating

Training manager: Michael Swan, Dundee and Angus College

Curtis Johnson

SERC and self-employed

Skill: Plastering and drywall systems 

Training manager: David Kehoe, British Gypsum

Thomas Thomas

Coleg Meiri-on-Dwyfor and Aer Cymru

Skill: Plumbing and heating

Training manager: Ronald Ferris

Mark Scott

City and Glasgow College and J McGoldrick and Sons Council

Skill: Wall and floor tiling

Training manager: Paul Doran, Southern Regional College 

Orlando Rawlings

Grimsby Institute Daikin UK 

Skill: Refrigeration and air-conditioning 

Training manager: Mark Forsyth, Coriolis International 

Patrick Buckley

West Cheshire College

Skill: 3D digital game art

Training manager: Mike Spence, Arcademic 

Elizabeth Newcombe

Guildford College and Rhubarb & Bramley

Skill: Floristry

Training manager: Laura Leong

Konnar Doyle

City of Glasgow College

Skill: Visual merchandising 

Training manager: Julianne Lavery, University of Westminster 

Eduard Adam

Bradford College

Skill: Cloud computing

Training manager: Wei Jie, University of West London

Kyle Woodward

Cardiff and Vale College 

Skill: Cyber security 

Training manager: Kamadchisundaram Sureshkumar, NESCOT 

Adrian Cybulski

Glasgow Clyde College 

Skill: Cyber security 

Training manager: Kamadchisundaram Sureshkumar, NESCOT 

Tonicha Roberts

Eurofins Forensic Services

Skill: Chemical laboratory technology 

Training manager: Dr Dirk Wildeboer, Middlesex University 

Elliott Dawson

Training 2000 and Fort Vale 

Skill: CNC Milling

Training manager: Mike Watson, GKN Aerospace

Jack McCarthy

DMG Mori

Skill: CNC Turning 

Training manager: Adam Youens, Coleg Cambria 

Tyler Atkinson

Burney College and WEC Group

Skill: Construction Metal Work 

Training manager: Andy Whitehouse, Dudley College of Technology 

Thomas Andrews

Alton College and Sonardyne International 

Skill: Electronics 

Training manager: Steve Williams, Gower College Swansea 

Andrew Joyce

Stegta and CarnaudMetalBox Engineering 

Skill: Manufacturing team challenge 

Training manager: Daytun Unitt, Coleg Cambria 

Issac Khan

Stegta and CarnaudMetalBox Engineering 

Skill: Manufacturing team challenge 

Training manager: Daytun Unitt, Coleg Cambria 

James Thomason

Stegta and CarnaudMetalBox Engineering 

Skill: Manufacturing team challenge 

Training manager: Daytun Unitt, Coleg Cambria 

Ross Megahy

New College Lanarkshire and University of Strathclyde

Skill: Mechanical Engineering CAD 

Training manager: Barry Skea, New College Lanarkshire 

Jack Dakin

Toyota Manufacturing UK

Skill: Mechatronics

Training manager: Callum Knott, Desto Didactic 

Danny Slater

Toyota Manufacturing UK

Skill: Mechatronics

Training manager: Callum Knott, Desto Didactic 

Rebecca West

East Sussex College and Bespoke You

Skill: Beauty Therapy 

Training manager: Jenna Wrathall Bailey, Jenna Wrathall Bailey Training 

Sam Everton

Pembrokeshire College and Crwst Council

Skill: Cooking

Training manager: Sean Owens, SO Consultancy 

Phoebe McLavy

Coleg Sir Gar and Morgan Edward Salon

Skill: Hairdressing

Training manager: Linzi Weare, Reds Hair Company 

Collette Gorvett 

Gower College Swansea

Skill: Restaurant Service

Training manager: Dr Shaym Patiar 

Haydn Jakes

Nottingham University and Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group

Skill: Aircraft maintenance 

Training manager: Martin Yates 

Delan Porter 

North West Regional College and Donagheys Garage 

Skill: Automobile technology

Training manager: Barry McDavid, North West Regional College

Conor McKevitt

Riverpark Training and Wrights Accident Repair Centre

Skill: Car painting 

Training manager: Richard Wheeler, Coleg Gwent