Two golds for Team UK at Skills Olympics

The Student Engineer

Team UK has won two gold medals at the WorldSkills event in Russia, as well as a silver, a bronze and 15 medallions of excellence.

Team UK
Haydn Jakes took gold in Aircraft Maintenance (Credit: WorldSkillsUK)

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In total, 37 young men and women from the UK took part in the event, which features competitions for apprentices, technicians and students across a range of disciplines. The gold medals were won by 23-year-old Haydn Jakes from Cambridge in the Aircraft Maintenance category and 22-year-old Rebecca West from Lewes in Beauty Therapy. Northern Ireland’s Conor McKevitt, also 22, won silver in Car Painting, while Phoebe McLavy, aged 20 from Carmarthen, won bronze in Hairdressing.

Team UK
Lab technician Tonicha Roberts celebrates her medallion of excellence (Credit: WorldSkillsUK)

The 15 medallions of excellence were awarded to the following members of Team UK:

  • Electrical Installer Thomas Lewis, 21 from Maesteg

  • Plumber Thomas Thomas, aged 20 from Morfa Bychan

  • CNC Miller Elliott Dawson, aged 22 from Blackburn

  • Mechatronics competitors Jack Dakin and Danny Slater, both 25 from Burnaston

  • Florist Elizabeth Newcombe, aged 22 from Dunston

  • Painter & Decorator Callum Bonner, aged 21 from Alloa

  • Wall and Floor Tiler Mark Scott, aged 22 from Glasgow

  • Joiner Christopher Caine, aged 21 from Haverfordwest

  • Lab Technician Tonicha Roberts, aged 19 from Chorley

  • Bricklayer Lewis Greenwood, aged 21 from York

  • Landscape Gardeners Sam Taylor, aged 19 from Preston and Shea McFerran aged 20 from Antrim

  • Cook Sam Everton, aged 21, from Haverfordwest

  • Restaurant Services expert Collette Gorvett, aged 20 from Swansea

  • Refrigeration & Airconditioning engineer Orlando Rawlings, aged 21 from Grimsby

  • Electronics Expert Thomas Andrews, aged 21 from Alton

“This is a fantastic result for the team and the UK as a whole – I couldn’t be prouder. This was the ultimate test and they stepped up to the mark,” said Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann, CEO of WorldSkills UK.

Rebecca West won gold in Beauty Therapy (Credit: WorldSkillsUK)

“The members of Team UK, all under 25 years, championed the UK focus on skills development in front of a global audience, sending a strong message that the UK is a world-class place to invest, do business and create jobs.

“Governments, education and industry need to continue to work with us to help make sure the UK stays at the cutting edge of global best practice in skills development.”

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