The Skills Show 2014 ended tonight with a celebration of the UK’s most skilled apprentices and learner as the winners of the National Skills Competitions were announced.
Nearly 600 competitors showed off their skills in 64 competitions at the Birmingham NEC hoping to take home a gold, silver or bronze medal.
For those under 21 there was an added pressure, as young contestants who catch the judge’s eyes could be invited to compete for a place on the squad for WorldSkills 2017 in Abu Dhabi.
Most competitors were put through events by their providers, who also offer support and extra training to the learners through the process.
The college that had the highest number of medallists among its students was New College Lanarkshire, with four gold, three silver, one bronze and four highly commended.
Ross Maloney, chief executive of Skills Show organising body Find a Future, congratulated everyone who took part.
“The Skills Show is an amazing showcase for the nation’s vast variety of skills,” he said.
“Just as we celebrate our athletes, so we champion our skills and inspire young people to make their own mark on industry.
“It is through competition activity, The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience that Find a Future can provide young people and their parents with the chance to get excited about the world of work and make informed choices about their future.”
For more on the 2014 Skills Show, read the FE Week supplement available on feweek.co.uk on Monday (November 17) and free with edition 119 of the newspaper, dated Monday, November 24.
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