WorldSkills UK Wales

Finalists Announced for UK Master Fitter Competition

Six of the UK’s best independent automotive glazing technicians have been chosen through regional competition heats. They are now entering the final phases of their preparation for the grand finale which takes place at the Millennium Stadium on 16 September 2010, as part of skillscymru.

If you are interested in developing a career in this field, then the final of this competition is not to be missed! skillscymru provides a unique opportunity to watch these highly skilled competitors in action as they fight for the title of UK Master Fitter 2010. Watch the technical expertise employed in repairing and replacing a windscreen as well as replacing a side and heated rear window, all against the clock!

This competition is co-ordinated by ProSkills and is the first of its kind in the UK and has received support as part of skillscompetition Wales. The overall UK champion will represent the UK on a global stage in the International Master Fitter Championships in Dusseldorf.

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

Be the Presenter at skillscymru!

Last week, we told you about our search to find two presenters for skillscymru. Well, what do you think of Charlotte’s presenting skills? She is currently a contestant on Britain’s Next Top Model which is showing on Living TV.

Watch Charlotte's  video in full screen through the skillscymru YouTube channel. 

If you think you could do better, then make sure you enter our skillscymru competition. Entry closes on Friday 30 July!

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

CLIC Battle of the Bands 2010

This successful competition is back and this year will be even bigger! The winner of CLIC BOTB 2010 will play at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday 18 September as part of skillscymru, Wales’ largest ever skills and careers event.

Five BOTB finalists will take to the stage in the 250-capacity Presidents Lounge at the stadium to be judged by a panel of industry experts. The winners will then play a 20-minute set on the main stage on the stadium’s pitch, in front of all event attendees. With 20,000 visitors expected over the three-days of skillscymru, the winners are bound to gain plenty of new fans amongst Saturday’s sizeable audience!

As well as the title of CLICK BOTB champions, the winning act will also bag a list of prizes that currently include:

• A week’s studio time with an established producer
• The recording and pressing of a demo in both CD and MP3 formats
• Digital distribution to 100+ outlets worldwide (including iTunes), courtesy of EmuBands
• A professional music video shoot with Seraphim Pictures
• A professional photo shoot by ALX MLS Photographic
• A professional website by Burning Red Studio
• Gig slots at Wales-wide CLIC events throughout the year
• A press release to go out with the demo
• An artist profile with pictures in CLICzine which is distributed to every school, college, university and youth provision in Wales

Entry is simple. Just email a link to your MySpace page to [email protected] and CLIC will do the rest. Remember to include a return email address if not the one you’re sending your MySpace link on.

The closing date for entries is Friday 30 July. Voting will take place online from 2- 31 August.

Finalists will receive expenses for travel to and from the Millennium Stadium.

Check out the official CLIC BOTB page for full information.

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

Competition: Be the presenter at skillscymru!

Do you want a career in television? To be the next Steve Jones, Claire Summers or Huw Edwards? We want to hear from you.

We are searching for two stars to be the presenters of skillscymru and spend time during the event filming, interviewing and learning about the skills needed to get ahead with a top professional television production company. Winners will also receive a prize of an ultra HD Flip Camera!

It easy to enter – you just need to upload a 60 second audition video to YouTube and e-mail your link to [email protected] with your name, address, postcode and contact telephone number.

Make a short film about the career you want or how to get a job. Make it a mix of interviews and you presenting – we want to see you talking to the camera! Ask someone you know about their work experiences and the skills they needed when they started, or catch an interview with a local celebrity about how they achieved their success and the skills they needed!

Don’t leave it too late as the deadline for entries is Friday 30 July 2010.

The winners will be judged in two categories – individuals aged up to 19 and those aged 20 and above. The best clips will be uploaded to the www.skillscymru.co.uk site over the summer and subjected to a public vote – so tell all of your friends about your entry!

Find full details of the competition via www.skillscymru.co.uk and get filming!

Please note image is for illustration purposes only. Actual prize may differ from model shown. 

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

Growing World Class Talent

A UK Skills Gardening Team has won the silver medal at this week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The garden, called ‘Growing World Class Talent’, was created from scratch by a team of talented people all under the age of 25. Skills included landscape gardening, bricklaying, electrical installation, cabinet making, plumbing, floristry and stonemasonry – all skills which are also present at an international WorldSkills Competition.

Former WorldSkills competitors and Squad UK members made up the team competing at the Chelsea Flower Show. Keith Chapman, who competed at WorldSkills Shizuoka (Japan), said how pleased the team was to have been honoured with this award, adding “we hope that visitors take the time to really look around the garden and start to learn just how much hard work actually goes into landscape gardening and the skills that are required”.

Take a look at the photos of the team’s garden on our flickr gallery and help us increase UK Skills’ chances of winning the BBC’s People’s Choice Award.

Vote for the UK Skills’ garden ‘Growing World Class Talent’. This garden falls within the ‘small gardens’ category. The deadline for voting is 5pm on Friday 28 May. Make yours count!

Are you interested in watching a live land-based competition? Groundwork Wales is organising an environmental regeneration competition that will take place at skillscymru in September 2010. Make sure you come along to watch our competitors bloom!

(Acknowledgements: with thanks to UK Skills for allowing the use of their images)

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