North Warwickshire & Hinckley College this week hosted a national skills competition, Team UK Selection, where 26 of the UK’s most highly skilled students, apprentices and employees competed to represent the UK at WorldSkills London 2011 in October, which will be the world’s biggest international skills competition.

The College was delighted to be joined at this prestigious event by John Hayes MP, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning and Nuneaton’s MP, Marcus Jones.  During a tour of the Team UK Selection competitions, including Landscape Gardening, Confectionary, Floristry and Graphic Design, they met with former WorldSkills competitors and College students and staff. 

John Hayes will announce the successful competitors who make it into Team UK at the National Apprenticeship Awards taking place later this month. Speaking of his time at the competition, John Hayes said: “ 

Marcus Jones MP added: “I was very pleased to join John at the event. It is wonderful to see the College being so pro-active in encouraging participation at the world’s biggest skills competition. This type of initiative helps people to build confidence and develop vital skills which will stand them in good stead for the future.”

The College actively encourages students to get involved in competitions to help them achieve excellence in their chosen skill.   Marion Plant OBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the College, who is also a regional champion for WorldSkills, said: “It was a privilege to be joined by the Minister at Team UK Selection and his support for the development of practical and technical skills – including the impact of competitions work – is fantastic and very encouraging.”

This week’s event has seen Graphic Designer Matthew Fitzgerald, a former student of the College, compete for a place in the Team UK line up. 

Marion continues: “We have had a record number of students go through to UK Skills competitions in the last year and we are ambitious for more of our young people to get exposure to the many benefits that competitions bring as they stretch practical talents and build confidence, team work and communication skills.

“Matthew is a great example of a young person who has achieved success in competitions whilst at College and this has continued as he has progressed into employment and he is now at the stage where the life changing WorldSkills competition is within his reach.  We wish him the very best in this competition as he seeks to secure his place in Team UK.”