12:12 pm, November 19, 2010
SIX young automotive technicians have been selected to represent the UK at the 2011 WorldSkills competition.
Five of them are coming via the SkillAuto competition route.
Alex Knight, 19, from Gatwick Honda and John Couldridge, 21, from Inchcape Honda in Romford will both compete in the AutoTechnology category.
Ben Eaton, 21, from Sytner BMW Sheffield, Gary Greer, 19, from John Lennon Car Body Repairs, County Tyrone and Daniel Matheson, 21 who works for Bryansford Coachworks, County Down will be competing in the AutoPaint category.
Meanwhile Ross Varnam, 20, who works at Parker Accident Repairs in Leicester will be hoping for gold in AutoBody category.
They will be competing in the 41st WorldSkills international competition, which is the largest vocational skills event in the world. Young people from 51 countries compete in over 40 different skills, ranging from cabinet making to web design.
Speaking at the selection announcement, John Hayes MP, said: “Vocational qualifications are essential to the Government’s commitment to securing a highly skilled and capable workforce which is internationally competitive. The young people competing in Squad UK are living proof of the standards of excellence found in our vocational learning programmes and are fine examples of the talented, dedicated and committed apprentices we have in this country. This is why the Government has committed itself even further to workplace training with apprentices at its heart, and I wish every competitor the best of luck in the lead up to WorldSkills London 2011.”
Sarah Sillars OBE, executive chair of the Institute of the Motor Industry said: ‘All six technicians have done fantastically well to achieve their places in the UK squad and we wish them all the very best in the run up to the WorldSkills competition in London. These competitors have demonstrated the skill and technical competence needed to work in today’s automotive industry and their selection to the national team now allows them to demonstrate their ability and commitment on a world stage.’
The SkillAuto competition is now open to competitors with no more than three years experience, including training, and the IMI is also awarding 1000 Skillmiles to the organisation who enters the most competitors within each stream. There is also a special award for the highest scoring college student who enters SkillAuto in this cycle of the competition.
The online test closes on 31 December 2010.
WorldSkills London 2011 takes place from 5th-8th October 2011 at ExCel.
