WorldSkills UK Wales

Minister encourages people to 'Have a go' at new skills

Our Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert, saw for himself the wide variety of training opportunities in Wales during a visit to this year’s Eisteddfod in Wrexham. Visitors to the event could have a go at a number of skills on the Welsh Government’s stand -  with the minister trying his hand at Welsh rural crafts, motorbike engineering and 3D modelling using clay!

 

The ‘have a go’ opportunities formed part of Wales’ contribution to the WorldSkills London 2011 campaign, ‘Be one in a million’; a campaign to provide one million opportunities for people across the UK to try a new skill in a fun, interactive and engaging way.

Mr Cuthbert said that  “WorldSkills London 2011 is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of vocational skills with some of the most gifted learners from all over the world coming together to demonstrate their skills. It is exciting to see the way that the event has already captured the imagination of our network in Wales and I am hoping that this ‘Be one in a million’ campaign will help to inspire our next generation of talent."

At the Eisteddfod, the minister met some adult learners from Yale College Wrexham to talk about their experience in WorldSkills UK national competitions. He also met with Paul Green, Yale College, and Ian Thomson, Coleg Llandrillo to talk about their appointments as WorldSkills Training Managers for CNC Milling and Turning; roles which will see them develop the talent of the Team UK that will compete at this year’s WorldSkills London 2011 event.

 Mr Cuthbert went on say: “I’m delighted to see so many people from Wales getting involved with the WorldSkills London 2011 event. I would like to see vocational qualifications receive the same recognition as their academic counterparts. They are highly valued by employers, and equally important as academic qualifications. This event will go a long way to help deliver a lasting vocational skills legacy.” 

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales 

Win a year’s apprenticeship with Melville and a trip to Las Vegas!

Enter this competition today and be in with a chance to win an amazing prize and a once in lifetime opportunity. The winner grabs a year’s apprenticeship with Melville and a visit to their global headquarters in Las Vegas!

 

Melville Exhibition and Event Services is well known in the UK events industry, from Top Gear Live to the Ideal Home Exhibition and the Ryder Cup to WorldSkills London 2011; the teams at Melville design, build and dress a number of top events throughout the UK. To do this, Melville employs hundreds of skilled electricians, carpenters, designers and engineers across the country.

Melville is an official supplier to WorldSkills London 2011. At the event they will also have a stand where they will invite visitors to ‘have a go’ at working in exhibitions – including building a stand, fitting graphics or designing stands. Do you think that you could create a design studio for this stand where visitors will be invited to try their hand at 3D design?

If you think you have the skills then enter this competition now!

The fantastic prize includes:

• A trip to Melville’s UK headquarters to work alongside their design team to make your studio a reality.
• A visit to WorldSkills London 2011 to see your design in action.
• A trip to Las Vegas to visit Melville’s international headquarters and see how a major events company is run (plus the chance to check out the local sights)
• A year’s apprenticeship with Melville’s graphic design team.

 Check out some of Melville’s designs and find out full details of this competition on the WorldSkills London 2011 Facebook page. 

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales 

Team UK is announced!

A great video showing footage from the selection process for Team UK. Congratulations to all who made the team!

 

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales

With thanks to UK Skills for their kind permission in reproducing this video.

David to represent the UK on world stage!

He made it! After a long couple of months of intensive training, David Bowen has been selected to represent Team UK in the web design competition at WorldSkills London 2011.

David, aged 18 and a student at Coleg Sir Gar, is the youngest member of the 43-strong Team UK; he is also the only member of the team from Wales. He will now go head-to-head with the best in the world when he competes at WorldSkills London which takes place 5-8 October 2011 at ExCel. During this toughest of tests, David will have to design and build a website in just 20 hours.

 
Our Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert, has congratulated David on his success saying, '...His selection is testimony to his talent and hard work and I'm sure he will do Wales proud'. David is pictured here with the Deputy Minister and Barry Liles, Principal of Coleg Sir Gar, at the VQ day awards (where he was a finalist), on 22 June 2011.

To celebrate his inclusion in Team UK, David also joined all of the other members of Team UK at a special reception held at Buckingham Palace this week, which must have been a fantastic experience!

David says that '...It is a great honour to be selected for WorldSkills and I'm looking forward to competing against the best in the world. Being involved in this event has been a big boost to my confidence and I have learned a lot competing and training for the finals'.

David must now continue to apply himself further with more intensive training scheduled in the lead up to London to refine his skills ready to compete on the international stage. Congratulations on your success so far, David! We'll be watching your progress with interest and fingers crossed for a medal at London!

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales

Competition seeks creative designers to furnish Edge Hotel School

Edge, in conjunction with WorldSkills UK, WorldSkills Alumni and City & Guilds have launched a competition to engage creative designers! The aim is to develop a number of artefacts suitable for use within Wivenhoe House, the home of the Edge Hotel School; the artefacts must celebrate innovative and creative design whilst also being practical and durable.

 
Wivenhoe House is an elegant 18th Century Grade II listed building which is undergoing a major multi-million-pound ‘make-over’ to restore it to its former grandeur as a country house of significance. Within this extraordinary setting, the Edge Hotel School is dedicated to delivering ‘hospitality with an edge’; combining theory and practice in a new way to provide a high quality guest experience.

This fantastic competition is open to anyone who has entered past or present WorldSkills UK competitions or for competitors who have represented the UK in the international WorldSkills competition and who are under the age of 28 by 15 July 2011. The competition is divided into five competition categories:

1. A ‘partners’ type desk situated in the entrance lobby of the hotel
2. A ‘conversation’ communal table to seat 16 for the brasserie
3. A garden bench to seat 4 people situated within the hotel grounds
4. A feature light fitting to hang over the grand staircase of the hotel
5. A free standing display / storage centre piece for the brasserie.

The winning designers in each competition category will not only receive a cash prize of £1,000 and see their design manufactured for use in Wivenhoe House, but will also have the opportunity to become a ‘Designer in Residence’. This will include the opportunity to showcase their work, sell or take commissions for private work and provide workshops / demonstrations / master classes for hotel guests for up to 4 x 2 day periods in a calendar year, commencing September 2012!

Full competition details are available via the Edge website. The closing date for entries is 15 July 2011. 

Help raise the profile of vocational skills, WorldSkills and skills competitions in Wales