28 August 2009
26 young ‘Brits’ set out to battle for gold
Today (Friday 28th August), 26 talented young people from across the four home nations have boarded a plane to Calgary, Canada to prove to us all that Britain has talent. Team UK will be competing at WorldSkills Calgary 2009 - the skills equivalent of the Olympics – which, watched by an estimated 150,000 spectators, will see approximately 900 Competitors from 51 countries/regions compete in 45 skills ranging from landscape gardening, IT and cooking to hairdressing, engineering and auto body repair.
Team UK, who are all under the age of 25 (the age limit at a WorldSkills Competition), had an emotional last night with friends, family, employers and sponsors yesterday at an exclusive reception held at the Imagination Gallery, London, to honour the team and wish them well at WorldSkills. They were joined by celebrity guests including Chef James Martin, who, alongside Skills Minister Kevin Brennan and UK Skills Chairman Chris Humphries CBE, presented the team with their enamels which are only awarded if you are a Team UK member. The team were also presented with a letter from Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Independent education foundation Edge is the Premier Supporter of both Squad UK and Team UK as part of its commitment to raising the status of practical and vocational learning.
The biennial WorldSkills Competition is a totally unique event. Over four days of tough competition, these young people test themselves against rigorous international standards, with the ultimate prize of winning gold, silver or bronze for their country. The UK has a good track record at WorldSkills, and was placed 11th in the World at the last event, held in Japan in 2007, winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals and nine Medallions of Excellence, which are given out to Competitors who are deemed to have reached the world benchmark.
Ensuring a place on Team UK isn’t an easy feat. Each member has had to prove to UK Skills, who select and manage the Team, that they have what it takes to take on the best young skilled people in the world. After winning through regional and national heats to get onto Squad UK, they then go through, on average, over 5 months of training, forgoing social lives, dedicating their time instead to perfecting and honing their particular skill. Team UK members were chosen from Squad UK in June this year after a tough four day selection competition. There was little time for celebrations though, as the team, just like any UK sporting team, have had to continue with their training to make sure they are at the top of their game.
| The members of Team UK for WorldSkills Calgary 2009 are: | |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Maintenance: | Stewart Wright, 25, from Northampton, who serves with the Royal Navy. Stewart is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Autobody Repair: | Daniel Cain, 22, from Grimsby, who works for Just Car Clinics. Daniel is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Automobile Technology: | Dean Jones, 21, from Swansea, who works for Mercedes-Benz of Swansea |
| Beauty Therapy: | Charlotte Burford, 19, from Penkridge, near Stafford, who works for Tranquility @ Esporta Stafford and who attends South Staffordshire College. Charlotte is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Bricklaying: | Sam Fairgrieve, 21, from Leicester who works for Jelson Homes Ltd. Sam is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Cabinetmaking: | Luke Griffiths, 22, from Chichester, who works for Cimitree Furniture and also teaches at Chichester College. Luke is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Car Painting: | Zak McLaughlan, 20, from Denham, who works for Solus Accident Repair Centres and who attends Thatcham College. |
| Carpentry: | Cliff Williams, 22, from Talley, Wales, who is self employed. Cliff is City & Guilds qualified. |
| CNC Milling: | Christopher Coates, 21, from Wilmslow, who works for Bentley Motors. |
| Confectioner/Pastry Cook: | Alistair Birt, 21, from Hillingdon, Uxbridge, who studies at Thames Valley University. |
| Cooking: | Adam Smith, 22, from Orpington, who works at The Ritz Hotel. |
| Electrical Installations: | Richard Sagar, 22, from Langholm, who works for Eden Electrics. Richard is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Floristry: | Joe Massie, 21, from Liverpool, who works for Fishlocks Florist. Joe is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Ladies’/Men’s Hairdressing: | Linzi Weare, 19, from Berry Hill near Coleford, who works at Reds Hair Company. |
| Electronics: | Melanie Adlam, 22, from St Albans, who is a student at the University of Bristol and who works for MBDA UK. |
| IT PC & Network Support: | Hugo Landau, 19, from St Albans, who is a student at Barnfield College. |
| Jewellery: | Adam Claridge, 21, from Robertsbridge, who works for Spectrum Fine Jewellery. Adam is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Joinery: | Trevor Woods, 21, from Co. Fermanagh, who works for McAleer & Teague and attends Omagh College. Trevor is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Landscape Gardening: | Luke Denby, 19 from Skipton who works for Roderick French Groundworks and attends Craven College and William Gadd, 22, from Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, who works for The Country Life Landscapes and attends Otley College. Luke and William are both City & Guilds qualified. |
| Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD: | Martin Eusebi, 21, from Glasgow, who works for MB Aerospace Ltd and attends Motherwell College. |
| Painting & Decorating: | Mark Nevin, 22, from East Calder, near Livingston, West Lothian, who works for Nevin of Edinburgh. |
| Plumbing & Heating: | Christopher Lonsdale, 22, Bishop, Auckland, who is self employed. Christopher is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Restaurant Service: | Katie Watson, 21, from Hamilton, who works at the Gleneagles Hotel. |
| Stonemasonry: | Oliver Clack, 21, from Chichester, who works for Cathedral Works Organisation and who attends Weymouth College. Oliver is City & Guilds qualified. |
| Web Design: | Richard Edwards, 19, from Milton Keynes who is a student at Milton Keynes College. |
Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of UK Skills, who manage Team UK said “Every single member of Team UK deserves their place. They have all whole heartedly dedicated themselves to perfecting their skills so that they are ready to take on the best young skilled people in the world. They have already shown everyone just how talented the UK is and should be proud of themselves for getting this far. We wish them well at the WorldSkills Competition in Calgary and look forward to seeing just what they can achieve.”
Skills Minister Kevin Brennan said: “This team of talented young people will inspire others with their hard work, and will show the rest of the world just how highly skilled our country is when they represent the UK at WorldSkills."
“The future success of key industries in our economy, such as manufacturing, construction and engineering, depends on the world class skills and commitment these young people are so clearly demonstrating.
“It’s more important than ever that we continue to support and invest in the skills of our workforce, helping individuals get into and stay on at work as well as helping businesses stay competitive and prepare for the upturn.”
James Martin said: “It’s fantastic to meet young people who have such passion and drive to excel in their careers. These are young people who are determined to show how interesting and skilled their chosen trades are, and I’m sure they are going to go far at this year’s WorldSkills.”
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 takes place from 1st-6th September with the competition running from 2nd – 5th. There are 26 members of Team UK, who will compete in 25 skill categories as listed above.
Team UK is managed by UK Skills working in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and key partners from education, government and industry. Brathay provide and support the training and development of Squad and Team UK.
UK Press Release - Team Send Off - 28 Aug 09