Welsh Talent Recognised As Worldskills Announces Its Squad UK For Kazan 2019

Nine talented Welsh apprentices will be flying the flag for Welsh skills at a UK and international level after beating off stiff competition from hundreds of hopeful candidates to make it into WorldSkill’s Squad UK for Kazan 2019. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Christopher Caine, 18, Balaz Sparing, 19, Tom Harris, 19, Sam Everton, 18, Chloe Griffiths, 18, Kate Louise Evans, 19, Daniel Morgan, 18, Thomas Roberts, 19, and Ellie Hanley, 17, have all made a shortlist of 49 candidates from across the United Kingdom and will now spend the next 12-18 months participating in a training and development programme to help hone their skills before the final Team UK is selected for WorldSkills Kazan 2019 from the squad in spring 2018. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The development programme will include a series of milestones and benchmarks which Squad UK competitors must achieve to progress, especially if they want to be in with a chance of securing their place in the final Team UK which will travel to Kazan in August 2019 to compete on the WorldSkills stage. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Held every two years, the WorldSkills international competition is the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world and sees around 1,000 apprentices and learners, aged 18 to 25, from 76 countries come together to compete for medals in more than 40 different skills categories, including electrical installation, welding, web design, hairdressing, cooking and bricklaying. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Along with the rest of the competitors, Wales’ successful nine all earned their places in Squad UK after excelling in the national finals of the WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions which were held at The Skills Show in Birmingham last month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Participants took part in competitions over 3 days, demonstrating their skills and knowledge in front of an audience of more than 75,000 people. Wales came home from The Skills Show with its best ever clutch of medals – 45, including 11 gold, 17 silver, 14 bronze and 3 highly commended – placing it top of the leader board. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Welcoming the announcement, Skills and Science Minister, Julie James said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is fantastic news for Wales and testament of the high-calibre skills being nurtured here. I applaud every Welsh participant who qualified for selection and extend my congratulations to Christopher, Balazs, Tom, Sam, Chloe, Kate Louise, Daniel, Thomas and Ellie on their incredible achievements in securing places on Squad UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By competing in the WorldSkills Competition, Wales, as part of Squad UK, is able to share best practice in apprenticeships, further education and skills, with countries around the world, raising standards on a global scale. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Furthermore, by using the knowledge gained from competing at WorldSkills, we know we are working to international benchmarks, which is good for the wider Welsh economy because, if they haven’t already, those young people will be shortly entering the workplace and those enhanced skills will help businesses to grow and compete more effectively in a global marketplace.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Of all the UK regions, Wales ranks top for the number of competitors selected to take part in Squad UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​