UK skills team is world class

The UK team placed 12th on average team score at the 2005 WorldSkills Competition, scooping one gold, two silver medals and seven Medallions of Excellence.

Gareth Rees from Carmarthen was one of a team of 18 young men and women who represented the UK at the recent WorldSkills Competition in Helsinki who were welcomed back to the country and congratulated on their achievements by celebrity guest David Grant at SkillCity London 2005 last Thursday.

Rees is employed by Whitland Engineering, Whitland, South Wales and was awarded a Medallion of Excellence at the competition.

The UK team placed 12th on average team score at the 2005 WorldSkills Competition, scooping one gold, two silver medals and seven Medallions of Excellence.

For the first time, the UK team's average score exceeded the 500-point World Class benchmark standard.

The team achieved a higher score than WorldSkills giants Japan, France, the USA and the host country Finland.

Andrew Blair won a Gold Medal in autobody repair, beauty therapist Joanna Thompson and stonemason Gary Collier both won silver.

Skills Minister Phil Hope supported the team in Helsinki and commented: "At the WorldSkills event in Helsinki I saw for myself the hard work, commitment and preparation the UK team had to put in to achieve their impressive overall standard - above the world class benchmark set for the competition".

"WorldSkills is about excellence, helping companies measure the effectiveness of their training and succeeding in competition in the global economy".

"Improving skills matters".

"The competition supports our skills strategy to close skills gaps by giving employers a strong voice in training provision and helping individuals acquire the skills they need".

"WorldSkills is unique in giving us a real measure of excellence in vocational skills".

"It helps us judge the effectiveness of our training programmes internationally and show that the skills of our young people match the best in the world".

Chris Humphries, Chairman of UK Skills and Director General of City and Guilds was on hand at SkillCity London 2005 to offer his congratulations.

He commented: "In a country where we have a serious skills deficiency we need to celebrate and promote vocational skills as much as we can".

"These young men and women are exemplars in their field and prove just how much talent exists out there".

"An understanding that the vocational route is as valid as the academic is long overdue and I hope that hearing about these young people will convince more people that the vocational option is simply not second best".

Fame Academy's David Grant acted as the Official Ambassador for the UK team and added his own congratulations: "The WorldSkills Competition sees the most highly skilled young people in the world competing against each other".

"I have followed the UK team throughout this competition".

"They are an extremely skilled group of young people who have trained exceptionally hard and have returned triumphant".

"They should be truly proud of their achievements".

"I wish them the best of luck with their future careers".

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