The UK’s young skilled elite – the very best in their profession – have been sent to ‘Russia With Love’ at a special Parliamentary send off.
Among them Haydn Jakes – the best young aircraft maintenance engineer in the country. Haydn – from Cambridge, who is training at Nottingham University is gunning for glory and gold.
He said: “Years of training and competitions have got me the biggest hurdle of all – the WorldSkills Finals in Russia. I will be up against the very best Aircraft Engineers that the World has to offer – but I am confident that I can be beat them and come home with gold.”
Haydn, who is now studying for a degree in engineering was an apprentice at Marshall of Cambridge.
Team UK selected, trained and managed by WorldSkills UK is made up of 37 of the very best apprentices and students from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
They will take on the World’s best at the WorldSkills Finals (known as the ‘Skills Olympics’) in Kazan, Russia from August 22 – 27 where they will do battle to win Gold, Silver or Bronze in their chosen skill.
Speaking at the Parliamentary reception, Anne Milton MP, Apprenticeships and Skills Minister said:
“It is quite extraordinary what you are about to do. We are incredibly proud of you.
“You are all ambassadors, not just for your chosen skill and for WorldSkills UK, but for all young people around the country.
“This is the biggest competition of your lives - you have to be at the top of your game and handle the pressure - but the most important thing is to believe in yourselves and get in to a winning mentality.
Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE, CEO of WorldSkills UK said:“We are ready, and we are proud.
“These young people are the high flyers of their generation. In front of a global audience they will champion the focus on skills, foreign investment and trade, demonstrating that the UK is a world-class place to do business and create jobs.”
“I wish them all the very best at WorldSkills Kazan 2019.”
The members of Team UK have been selected after first excelling in the WorldSkills UK Competitions, which are designed to equip young people with the skills needed to help UK businesses better compete globally, and then the completion of a two-year rigorous training programme devised by WorldSkills UK and has been supported by employers and colleges
At the House of Commons, members of Team UK were presented with their official enamel which is given to apprentices who represent the UK in international skills competitions.
Teams from more than 70 countries and regions will compete in 56 disciplines ranging from cyber security, 3D Game Design, to plumbing, painting & decorating, electrical installation, cooking and floristry in an enormous purpose-built structure outside the Tatarstan Capital, which is 800 km east of Moscow.
The WorldSkills Finals in Russia is the 45thin WorldSkills history and is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors. During the last WorldSkills Finals in 2017, which took place in Abu Dhabi, Team UK secured a top 10 position.
Image caption: Haydn Jakes (centre), Anne Milton MP and Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE
