Almost 150 young people have been named in WorldSkills UK’s official squad, marking them as candidates for the team that will head to WorldSkills 2021 in Shanghai.

Winners from the national finals at WorldSkills UK LIVE in November were among the 137 young people announced to be joining Squad UK today.

They will now undertake an intensive 18-month training process, fitted around their study and employment commitments, to bring them up to world class standard before the final team for China is picked.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson offered his congratulations to the competitors, and said he is “excited to see another talented group of young people preparing to showcase their skills on the global stage”.

One of those looking forward to more competing is squad member Finlay Champion, 18, from Chichester College Group.

He secured his place after winning silver in the furniture and cabinet making at the national finals, a tournament that he “really, really enjoyed”.

“One of my favourite things is competing,” he told FE Week. “I think that’s the most enjoyable time I’ve had making a piece of furniture. I think it’s the challenge of trying because you’ve already got the challenge and the timber you just need to assemble it all.

“But having to do it in a short space of time with competitors and people watching you, it’s just a fun atmosphere.”

It was a massive boost to my self confidence in having been chosen

He said finishing his piece at the finals was what got him picked for the squad, but he is now working on “being quicker at doing it better” – ensuring he can produce top-quality work in the time allotted at a tournament.

Martina Grumitt, squad member in jewellery is “very proud” to have been selected to be a part of the squad.

She said: “It was a massive boost to my self confidence in having been chosen, and I will focus on developing my skills in fine jewellery making, for my future in the trade.”

Jack Bateson, 19, from BAE, is representing mechanical engineering CAD on the squad and said it was his “dedication” that earned him a spot.

He previously competed in the national finals in 2018 where he won gold and was invited back to compete in 2019 to be in with a chance of making the squad.

“I’m honoured to represent the UK and represent my company,” he said.

City of Glasgow College is contributing the most squad members of any provider – seven; while both Toyota Manufacturing and Southern Regional College are sending six a piece; and New College Lanarkshire and Gower College Swansea are each sending five.

WorldSkills UK chief executive Neil Bentley-Gockmann said he was “very excited we are on the road to Shanghai”.

“After the brilliant national finals we have gone through a more stringent process in looking at the finalists, encouraging people and assessing people to come into squad and I feel we’ve got a really good, strong squad to go into the first stage of our international training programme.”

He said WorldSkills UK is “gunning to regain our position in the top 10”, after the UK slipped to twelfth place at WorldSkills Kazan 2019, having coming tenth at the competition before in Abu Dhabi 2017.

WorldSkills Shanghai will run from 22 to 27 September 2021.

FE Week is the official media partner for WorldSkills UK and Team UK will be following Squad UK’s journey throughout the process.

The full list of Squad UK members is below:

Competitor First Name
Competitor Last Name
Competition
Organisation Name
Abigail
Stansfield
CNC Milling
BAE Systems
Adam
Purvis
Chemical Laboratory Technology
Southern Regional College
Alex
Rendall
Electrical Installation
Bridgwater and Taunton College
Alex
Howe
Joinery
West Suffolk College
Andrew
Mcdonald
Wall and Floor Tiling
Leeds College of Building
Arron
Orr
CNC Turning
Fort Vale Engineering
Ashleigh
Hellowell
Cooking
Royal Garden Hotel
Aubrey
Whiteside
Car Painting
Riverpark Training and Development
Balveen
Nota
Construction Metal Work
Dudley College
Bayley
Harris
Hairdressing
Hyfforddiant Ceredigion Training
Belinda
Nightingale
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Ricoh UK Products Ltd
Ben
Lewis
Electronics
Gower College Swansea
Ben
Beckett
IT Network Systems Administration
North East Surrey College of Technology
Ben
Simcox
Aircraft Maintenance 
Raytheon Systems Ltd
Ben
Kidner
Electrical Installation
Rogers Restorations Ltd
Ben
Metcalfe
Patisserie and Confectionary
Trafford College group Altrincham campus
Benjamin
Martin
Electrical Installation
Nesbitt Electrical Installation
Billie Jo
McKenzie
Automobile Technology
South West College 
Bradley
Ellison
Mechatronics
UTC Sheffield
Brendan
Duddy
Plastering and Drywall Systems
North West Regional College 
Bridie
Kilby
Painting and Decorating
Leicester College
Cameron
McKnight
Cyber Security
Belfast Metropolitan College
Carwyn
Roberts
CNC Milling
Coleg Cambria
Celt
John
Cooking
Coleg Ceredigion
Charles
Samson
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Magellan Aerospace (UK) Ltd.
Charlotte
Phillips-Poupard
Beauty Therapy
Pembrokeshire College
Chloe
Holliday
Restaurant Service
Brockenhurst College
Chloe
Lloyd-Hughes
Cooking
North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College
Chloe
Millington
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Ricoh UK Products Ltd
Chloe
Williams
Beauty Therapy
Weston College
Clara
Agnew
Floristry
CAFRE
Connor
Stow
Patisserie and Confectionary
Hull College
Connor
Cruden
Plumbing and Heating
Moray College
Connor
Patterson
Building Information Modelling
New College Lanarakshire 
Craig
Kennedy
Car Painting
Riverpark Training and Development
Dan
Slaney
Mechatronics
Toyota Manufacturing Ltd
Danny
Hills
Welding
Lakes College West Cumbria
Danny
Bunphaung
Cooking
South Eastern Regional College
Darren
Houston
Building Information Modelling
New College Lanarakshire 
David
Davies
Aircraft Maintenance 
Raytheon Systems Ltd
David
Fryer-Winder
Mechatronics
Toyota Manufacturing Ltd
Dominic
Dray
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Eastleigh College
Donna
Blainey
Visual Merchandising
City of Glasgow College 
Dylan
Calvert
Wall and Floor Tiling
Southern Regional College
Dylan
Gillanders
Wall and Floor Tiling
Southern Regional College
Ellie
Mumby
Hairdressing
Grimsby institue
Ellie
Ruff
Visual Merchandising
South Leicestershire College
Emily 
Jones 
Restaurant Service
Coleg Cambria
Erica
Czerny
Hairdressing
Strode College
Erik Geza 
Petnehazi
3D Digital Game Art
City of Glasgow College 
Erjon
Berisha
Electronics
Belfast Metropolitan College
Ewan
Payne
Aircraft Maintenance 
Royal Air Force
Finlay
Champion
Cabinet Making
Chichester College Group
Gareth
Jarvis
Aircraft Maintenance 
British Airways Maintenance Cardiff
George
Hutchison
3D Digital Game Art
City of Glasgow College 
George
Schenbri
Jewellery
The Goldsmiths’ Company
Graeme
Nevin
Auto Body Repair
Riverpark Training and Development
Hannah
Beckley
Floristry
Warwickshire College – Moreton Morrell College
Harry
Colgrave
Joinery
Exeter College – Construction Training Centre
Harry
Chaundy
Automobile Technology
GTG Training
Harry
Funnell
Landscape Gardening
Myerscough College
Harry
Maddox
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Shrewsbury Colleges Group
Harry
Jackson
Welding
Stainless Metalcraft Ltd
Hedydd
Davies
Restaurant Service
Coleg Ceredigion
Holly Mae
Cotterall
Beauty Therapy
Reds Hair Company
Isaac
George
IT Network Systems Administration
North East Surrey College of Technology
Isabella
Skipp
Patisserie and Confectionary
Havant and South Downs College
Jack
Bateson
Mechanical Engineering CAD
BAE Systems
Jack
Newton
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Crowther and Shaw LTD
Jack
Day
Web Technologies
Highbury College, Portsmouth
Jack
Hodgkinson
Landscape Gardening
Myerscough College
Jack
Hinks
Landscape Gardening
Myerscough College
James
Boyes
Cabinet Making
Moulton College
James
Digger
Architectural Stonemasonry
York College
Jamie
Kennard
Cabinet Making
Parkway Interiors Ltd
Jessica Rose
Ancill
3D Digital Game Art
Birmingham Metropolitan College
Joe
Austins
Mechatronics
Toyota Manufacturing Ltd
Joel
Keen
CNC Milling
Rolls-Royce Plc
Jordan
Cliffe
Architectural Stonemasonry
Building Crafts College
Josh
Jones
Car Painting
NPTC Group – Pontardawe College
Josh
Sibley
Mechatronics
Toyota Manufacturing Ltd
Josh
Harvey
Architectural Stonemasonry
Weymouth College
Kalem
Kerrigan
Plastering and Drywall Systems
Errigal Contracts
Kamil
Zmich
Mechatronics
UTC Sheffield
Katie
Graham
Patisserie and Confectionary
South Eastern Regional College
Kieran
McShane
Construction Metal Work
Burnley College
Kirsty
Frazer
Beauty Therapy
Southern Regional College
Lavanya
Hemanth
Chemical Laboratory Technology
Middlesex University
Lewis
Newton
Web Technologies
Highbury College, Portsmouth
Lewis
Boyle
Painting and Decorating
Leeds College of Building
Lewis
Dymock
Chemical Laboratory Technology
New College Lanarakshire 
Lewis
Batchelor
Mechanical Engineering CAD
New College Lanarakshire 
Liam
McCauley
Architectural Stonemasonry
Forth Valley College
Liam
Hughes
Electronics
Gower College Swansea
Liam
Whitby
Mechatronics
Hydro Extrusion 
Luke
Myers
Bricklaying
Bishop Burton College
Luke
Jowett
Cyber Security
Walsall College
Madeline
Rowe
Jewellery
London Artworks
Martina
Grumitt
Jewellery
M A Griffin
Matthew
Bundy
Automobile Technology
Skillnet
Matthew
Goddard
Aircraft Maintenance 
Titan Airways
Matthew
Sutton
Auto Body Repair
Training 2000 Limited
Menna
Williams
Hairdressing
Coleg Sir Gar
Minahil
Nawasz
Building Information Modelling
New College Lanarakshire 
Molly
Lawton
Health and Social Care
Pembrokeshire College
Morgan
McNeil
IT Network Systems Administration
Cardiff and Vale College
Morgan
Swift
Wall and Floor Tiling
City of Glasgow College 
Morgan
Roberts
Welding
Lakes College West Cumbria
Nathan 
Evans
Electronics
Gower College Swansea
Neil
Donnolly
Mechanical Engineering CAD
New College Lanarakshire 
Nick
Bundy
Landscape Gardening
Gadd Brothers Trees and Landscapes
Odhran
Connolly
Wall and Floor Tiling
Southern Regional College
Oliver
Shimwell
Mechatronics
Toyota Manufacturing Ltd
Owen
Gallimore
Architectural Stonemasonry
Portland Stone Firms
Paul
Hayter
Mechatronics
UTC Sheffield
Paulina
Skoczek
Restaurant Service
Gower College Swansea
Phoebe
McLavy
Hairdressing
Coleg Sir Gar
Rhys
Watts
Electronics
Gower College Swansea
Ross
Findlay
3D Digital Game Art
City of Glasgow College 
Ross
Fiori
Joinery
NCG Carlisle College
Ryan
Lee
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Shrewsbury Colleges Group
Sam
Everton
Cooking
Pembrokeshire College
Samuel
Miller
IT Network Systems Administration
City of Glasgow College 
Samuel
Henderson
Plumbing and Heating
Scottish & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation
Saskia
Godley
Visual Merchandising
North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College 
Shane
Powell
Hairdressing
Coleg Gwent
Simona
Federova
Restaurant Service
City of Glasgow College 
Stefan
Bargan
Cyber Security
Walsall College
Steven
Megaw
Cooking
Southern Regional College
Thomas
Williamson
Electrical Installation
Coleg Cambria
Thomas
Mills
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Ricoh UK Products Ltd
Thomas
Moule
Manufacturing Team Challenge
Shrewsbury Colleges Group
Thomas
Nowell
Painting and Decorating
Truro and Penwith College
Thomas
Griffin
Web Technologies
Weston College
Will 
Gale
Mechatronics
Toyota Manufacturing Ltd
Zack
Evans
Web Technologies
NPTC Group – Neath College
Zara
Morgan
Beauty Therapy
Pembrokeshire College

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