Students scoop Gold and Silver at WorldSkillsUK Finals

Three students from SERC have scooped Gold and Silver at the WorldSkills UK Finals – recognised as the 'Olympics' for skills – in competitions held across the UK in November, with winners announced in live a stream from Steph McGovern’s Channel 4 Packed Lunch studio on Friday 26 November.

Level 3 Patisserie and Confectionary students Marija Kuzaite (17) from Coalisland, was awarded a Gold Medal and fellow student Eimear McCarthy (18) from Portaferry, was awarded a Silver Medal in the Confectionary and Patisserie competition which took place in Belfast; Level 3 Fire and Security apprentice Alexander Wallace (27) from Saintfield, employed by BPS, took Gold in the inaugural Fire Detection and Alarm System competition hosted in Romford and Dagenham.

A total of five students and apprentices from SERC were finalists in the UK wide WorldSkills competitions which presents opportunities for individuals to test their knowledge and skills against the very best across the UK. Level 3 Carpentry and Joinery apprentice David Fairley (Dromore) employed by Heaney Interiors competed in Edinburgh in Joinery, and Level 3 Plumbing apprentice Andrew Reain (Dromara) employed by Vincent Cunningham Contractors competed in the Plumbing competition in Middlesborough.

A total of 45 competing students from the local Further Education sector took home 27 medals 10 of which were Gold.

Ben Blackledge, Deputy Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said, “Congratulations to Marija, Eimear and Alexander on their medal successes in both the Confectionary and Patisserie, and Fire Detection and Alarm System competitions."

“We hope that their achievements will inspire more people to consider an apprenticeship and technical training as a route to great career success. Using insights gained from our competition-based programmes, we work with our partners to raise standards in training, helping to drive economic growth across the UK.”

Ken Webb, Chair of the six Further Education Colleges Principal’s Group, and Principal and Chief Executive of SERC said, “We are incredibly proud of our students and apprentices who have represented the College in the WorldSkills UK competitions, and the achievements of the three students who obtained a Silver and two Gold medals. Their dedication and talent for their chosen course is a real reflection of the incredible abilities that students in Further Education across Northern Ireland have, and we were thrilled to be able to display that on a national level."

“The WorldSkills UK competitions are a fantastic occasion for our students to learn new, innovative ways of carrying out their skilled work while also showcasing their own talents on a UK-wide platform, and our students have excelled at making this vision a reality.”

Watch out for further articles featuring the winners this week.

Congratulations to all the students and apprentices who took part in WorldSkills UK competitions from Regional through to National Competitions.