National Skill competitions coming to a college near you

10-10-22

Skills Excellence coming to all parts of the UK in November, as WorldSkills UK announces its hosts for the 2022 National Competition Finals.

The country’s top students and apprentices will go for gold at six venues, covering all four UK nations, during the week commencing Monday 14 November. Barking & Dagenham, Belfast Metropolitan, Blackpool & The Fylde, Cardiff & Vale, Edinburgh and Middlesbrough colleges will host a total of 62 finals between them.

From bricklaying in Edinburgh, to the new industry 4.0 competition in London at Barking & Dagenham College, via aircraft maintenance in Cardiff and culinary arts in Belfast, young people up and down the UK will have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacle and excitement of the finals.

As well as boosting their skills and confidence, competitors who impress under the pressure of a national final could be in with a chance of representing the UK at the “Skills Olympics” in France, in 2024.

The colleges will run events showcasing what they offer, providing careers advice and giving visitors the opportunity to talk to employers and industry experts. People who cannot get to a local event will be able to follow things online through a special broadcast, featuring live finals action, as well as interviews and advice from previous winners, experts and career advisors.

Competitors won’t have to wait long to see how they’ve got on, as the winners will be revealed in a special live medal ceremony show presented by Steph McGovern, from her Packed Lunch Studio on Friday 25 November.

The programme will have a strong interactive element, with finals venues and other colleges encouraged to host watching parties and send in photos and videos from their events, as the results are announced.

Barking & Dagenham College Principal and CEO Yvonne Kelly comments: “It is fantastic that our college has been chosen as one of the hosts of the WorldSkills UK National Competition Finals. This is a brilliant opportunity for both our students, who will get to experience and learn from this amazing competition, and local schools who will be able to visit and explore our college during this exciting week of events.”

WorldSkills UK Deputy CEO Ben Blackledge says: “We are really excited to be taking the show on the road with finals hosted by colleges across the UK. We hope witnessing the drama of the finals live will inspire young people to keep developing their technical and employability skills.

With 62 finals spread over six venues, there should be something for everyone but we will also be providing loads of online content for people who are unable to get to one of the host venues that week. We are looking forward to producing our special broadcast with live action and top tips from industry experts and careers advisors. We are also delighted to confirm that Steph McGovern will be doing the duties on awards night and revealing the winners live from her Packed Lunch studio.

With skills at the heart of government plans to level up and rebuild the economy, we are delighted to be playing our part and giving more young people the opportunity to explore the many opportunities and careers that high-quality skills offer.”

Designed by industry experts, WorldSkills UK competitions help young people grow personally and professionally by developing their technical and employability skills, as well as shining a light on the amazing skilled potential in the UK. The finals are the culmination of a seven-month process, including regional heats and intensive training.

The competitions-based programme has a real impact on those taking part, with 90% of previous entrants saying competing helps their career progression and 86% saying their personal and employability skills have improved.

Barking & Dagenham College will be hosting 11 finals in: