Minister urges would-be competitors to get into gear for Worldskills 2011

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today encouraged our young apprentices to continue Northern Ireland’s success at WorldSkills 2011.

WorldSkills, the world’s greatest skills showcase event, is to be staged for the first time in London in 2011.  Held every two years, WorldSkills involves over 850 of the best young professionals from trades, service and vocational programmes from around the world who gather to showcase their talents and abilities in a competitive setting.

Northern Ireland boasts an impressive record in WorldSkills competitions and today the Minister met with our most successful ever WorldSkills competitor, Andrew Blair.  Andrew, a car body repairer with Isaac Agnew, won a Gold medal in the 2005 competition in Helsinki.  He also met another Isaac Agnew apprentice, car painter Jonathan Lloyd from Newtownabbey, who has been chosen as a competitor for the 2007 WorldSkills Competition, to be held in Japan in November.

The Minister said: “Northern Ireland apprentices have a proud history of competing in the WorldSkills competition and it is clear that competing at the highest levels build the skills and confidence of competitors, leading to better career prospects and personal development.  

“ Developing the right skills is fundamental to achieving our ambitions as individuals, for our families and communities.  It also helps to build a more dynamic economy where businesses can grow through people.”

NOTES TO EDITOR

  1. WorldSkills was established in 1953. Today it is made up of 48 Member Countries/Regions worldwide. Participants compete for gold, silver and bronze medals, striving to set world-class standards in over 40 skill categories ranging from cabinet making to web design.
  2. The bid to host WorldSkills 2011 was a UK-wide initiative, wholly supported by the four Administrations of the UK government: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
  3. For more information on WorldSkills 2011 visit www.worldskillslondon2011.com
  4. Media enquiries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7790.