Team UK will tonight find out which of their members have claimed ultimate EuroSkills glory as gold, silver and bronze medals are handed out at the closing ceremony in Gothenburg.

The group of 22 competitors travelled to Sweden for the skills competition earlier this week and have competed against the best in Europe over the last three days.

EuroSkills itself is one of two major international competitions for young people starting trade professions.

Often referred to as a “preparation” event to WorldSkills, which is dubbed as the ‘Olympics of skills’, it is still one of significant prestige to everyone involved.

Competitors, who must be under the age of 25, have come from 28 European countries in 44 different skill areas ranging from landscape gardening and stonemasonry to hairdressing and game design.

As well as gold, silver and bronze medals being handed out to the top three scoring competitors in each skill area, other competitors who have reached the ‘international standard’ in their skill will be given a medallion of excellence.

Members of Team UK have taken a long journey to make it to the finals.

It included navigation through regional heats and success in national finals at The Skills Show in 2015.

Standout competitors in those national finals were then put into a longer squad of just 85 competitors, with 22 of them being chosen to represent their country at EuroSkills.

FE Week is media partner with WorldSkills UK and will be tweeting the results as they happen tonight @FEWeek.

Also keep an eye out for our full EuroSkills Gothenburg supplement Monday morning, sponsored by Smart Assessor.

But who are our Team UK competitors and what did they have to do?

We’ve detailed each one below with pictures taken during the competition, so you can follow their medal winning progress later tonight.

 

Toby Brook, 20

toby-brook

Architectural Stonemasonry

Employer: Wells Cathedral Stonemasons
Provider: Bath College
Trainer: Kevin Calpin, Calpin Associates

Toby had to produce a tracery window panel using Belgium blue stone. He had to create the design templates to specified measurements given and carve the design out. The judges were looking for precision in the design, any deviation over a millimetre resulted in lost marks.

Angus Bruce-Gardner, 21

angus-bruce-gardner

Cabinet Making

Employer: Waters and Acland
Provider: Waters and Acland
Trainer: Christian Notley, Chichester College
Twitter: @AngusRBG

Over three days, Angus had to make a table to a specific criteria. The design included frame, drawer, leaf design and decorations. Angus had practised making the table ahead of the competition but once he arrived on site, late changes were be made to the design to test his ability.

Will Burberry, 18

will-burberry

Landscape Gardening

Employer: Gardenscapes
Provider: Merrist Wood College
Trainer: Colin McKnight, CAFRE
Twitter: @will_burberry

Working together, Adam and Will produced a miniature garden from precise plans provided at the start of the competition. Some of the areas of the garden, which includes paving, planting and the construction of a wooden structure, had to be designed in accordance with the instructions provided, while other areas offered scope for creativity.

Betsy Crosbie, 20

betsy-crosbie

Mechanical Engineering CAD

Employer: N/A
Provider: New College Lanarkshire
Trainer: Barry Skea,
New College Lanarkshire
Twitter: @BetsyNCrosbie

Betsy had to complete three different modules. The first was to create a 3D model of a physical product. Second was to create assembly instructions where several components must be fitted together. Third was reverse engineering where she was given a component and had to measure it up as best she could before the judges took a part off. She then had to draw from the information she had collated over the last two hours.

Ethan Davies, 21

ethan-davies

 CNC Milling

Employer: Electroimpact UK Provider: Coleg Cambria
Trainer: Wyn Rowlands
Twitter: @EthanDavies16

CNC milling is similar to stonemasonry, the difference being that metal is used. Ethan had to load a block of metal into a machine and then machine it to tolerances which are of about 20 microns, or a third of a human hair. He had to machine that for four to five hours and the parts were then inspected for how accurate it was.

 Adam Ferguson, 20

adam-ferguson

 Landscape Gardening

Employer: Grassmaster NI
Provider: CAFRE
Trainer: Colin McKnight, CAFRE

Working together, Adam and Will produced a miniature garden from precise plans provided at the start of the competition. Some of the areas of the garden, which includes paving, planting and the construction of a wooden structure, had to be designed in accordance with the instructions provided, while other areas offered scope for creativity.

 Seamus Goodfellow, 20

seamus-goodfellow

 Automotive Technology

Employer: Ballinamullan
Auto Repair
Provider: South West College.
Trainer: Willie Mcilwraith, Warwickshire College
Twitter: @BDAescort

Seamus worked individually on four different tasks. First was an internal combustion engine, second was steering, suspension and brake systems, third was engine control, fault-finding in start, ignition and fuel systems, and the fourth was chassis, fault-finding in the various electrical systems in a vehicle, e.g. windows, locks, lights and infotainment systems.

 Ruth Hansom, 21

ruth-hansom

 Cooking

Employer: The Ritz
Provider: Westminster Kingsway.
Trainer: Michael Godfrey Mitchells & Butlers
Twitter: @ruth0310

Ruth had to prepare seven dishes over three days. The dishes included fish and shellfish for starters, meat for the main course, finger food and various desserts. Ruth was allowed to use a wide range of herbs, spices and accessories. She was also given a secret ingredient to use.

 Dale Hamilton, 20

dale-hamilton

 Heavy Vehicle Maintenance

Employer: Volvo
Provider: Volvo
Trainer: Chris Carter Stephenson College

Dale completed five different tasks: first was mechanical check of the engine and driveline, second was checking the steering and wheel assembly, third was checking the brake system, fourth was ault-finding in the engine’s fuel and exhaust systems, and the fifth was ault-finding in the chassis electrical system.

 Sam Hillier, 23

sam-hillier

 Mechatronics

Employer: Toyota Manufacturing UK
Provider: Toyota Manufacturing UK
Trainer: David Russell, Northern Regional College.

Competing in teams of two, Sam and Tom had to assemble and programme several stations similar to production equipment used in manufacturing industry. The stations were assembled into a production line and had to be programmed to work together. The exact details of the tasks were not revealed to Sam and Thomas until just before the competition starts.

Josh Hunter, 20

josh-hunter

Bricklaying

Employer: Geo Houlton & Sons Ltd
Provider: Hull College
Trainer: Mike Burdett,
York College

Using a maximum of 450 bricks, Josh had to build a two metre high construction of both the Feskekôrka, Gothenburg’s indoor fish market, and Läppstiftet, Gothenburg’s famous tower. Judges not only awarded points for precise measurements, angles and joints but also for the competitor’s design skills, organisational ability and problem solving skills.

Nathan Jones, 20

nathan-jones

Web Design

Employer: N/A
Provider: Neath Port Talbot College Trainer: Mike David, Coleg Sir Gar
Twitter: @NathixJ

Nathan first had to create a website for an imaginary company, he then managed databases in accordance with a set of instructions and on the third day he used WordPress to make changes to the website content. His work was judged on client and server functionality of the website, design and layout, communication and work efficiency.

Jordan Jeffers, 21

jordan-jeffers

Painting and Decorating

Employer: Self-employed
Provider: Southern Regional College.Trainer: Peter Walters, Stoke-on-Trent College

Jordan was provided with a booth consisting of three walls and was given 18 hours to plan and complete five different competition elements including, free decorative painting, wallpapering, painting woodwork and doors, colour nuancing and picture transfer and stencilling.

Lucy Knight, 21

lucy-knight

Hairdressing

Employer: Owner of Hair
by Knight
Provider: City of Bristol College
Trainer: Linzi Weare, Reds Hair Company
Twitter: @LucyKnight_

Lucy had to complete six different cuts in a specified time, all requiring a different approach. These included: ladies long hair down fashion with colour, bridal long hair up with colour and ornamentation, ladies fashion cut and colour with three wishes, men’s fashion cut and colour, ladies fashion perm, and a men’s modern classical haircut.

Daniel Martins, 19

daniel-martins

Plumbing and Heating

Employer: Apprentice with Briggs and Forrester.
Provider: EAS Mechanical
Trainer: Paul Dodds, Skills, Educational Training (SET) Ltd
Twitter: @DanMartinsss

Daniel has had to create a mock apartment, fitting two boilers and two pumps pumping around the system, a towel rail and a hot and cold water system. Everything had to be as accurate as possible to the drawing, with all angles within one degree and measurements within two millimetres.

Isla McLarty, 19

isla-mclarty

Beauty Therapy

Employer: Experience Health
and Beauty
Provider: City of Glasgow College
Trainer: Jenna Bailey, Ashton Community Science College
Twitter: @isla24x

Isla was required to carry out pedicure, manicure, facials, body treatments, massage and make-up.  Marks were awarded on completion of tasks in the specified time. Hygiene and safety was also taken into account in the assessment.

Daniel McCabe, 20

daniel-mccabe

 3D Game Design (demonstration skill)

Employer: West Cheshire College
Provider: N/A
Trainer: Mike Spence, South Thames College
Twitter: @DanM3D

Daniel was given a BMW M2 to design for the game Need for Speed. He had to modify it in a similar way to how a mechanic might do to a real life car. He changed the bonnet, added new skirts and a spoiler. The person who did the best job at modifying their vehicle won.

 Harrison Moy, 20

harrison-moy

Plastering and drywall

Employer: British Gypsum
Provider: H&R Property Development
Trainer: David Kehoe, British Gypsum
Twitter: @harrison_moy

Harrison had the opportunity to prepare the work in advance by creating templates and drawings and once the competition started he had to set walls, ceilings and decorations. In some tasks he was free to use whatever method he wished, while in some others the method was specified. 

 Josh Peek, 20

josh-peek

Welding

Employer: L&G Skilled Engineering
Provider: Great Yarmouth College.
Trainer: Clive Bell, Lakes College.

Josh had to weld together plates and pipes in accordance with instructions provided. He was also required to weld a pressure vessel and carry out projects using steel and aluminium. The judges awarded points to work that not only looked visually good, met the specified measurements but also passed tough quality and pressure tests.

Danielle Scandone, 21

danielle-scandone

Floristry

Employer: Moonflower.
Provider: Merrist Wood College
Trainer: Laura Owen,
Self-employed

Danielle had six elements to complete: an original bouquet, wedding bouquet, arrangement using floral foam, a standing display, a wreath, and floral jewellery for a model. As well as composition (colour, shape, proportions, lines, movement, texture, concepts) and techniques, Danielle was scored on organisation skills, customer care, knowledge of materials and tools, as well as her craft skills.

Tom Revell, 24

thomas-revell

Mechatronics

Employer: Toyota Manufacturing UK
Provider: Toyota Manufacturing UK
Trainer: David Russell, Northern Regional College
Twitter: @TheRealRev

Competing in teams of two, Sam and Tom had to assemble and programme several stations similar to production equipment used in manufacturing industry. The stations were assembled into a production line and had to be programmed to work together. The exact details of the tasks were not revealed to Sam and Tom until just before the competition starts.

Conor Willmott, 21

conor-willmott

 Joinery

Employer: Precision carpentry and joinery
Provider: West Suffolk College.
Trainer: Andrew Pengelly,
Didac Ltd
Twitter: @willmott_conor

Conor had to build a window to specified criteria provided. He first produced his own drawings from the criteria given, he then built the frame and then assembled the whole window. Judges assessed his drawing and planning, the joints before and after assembly, finish and execution, measurement accuracy, and the finished product including all parts and best use of materials.

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