Local joiner set to hit world skills stage in Canada

30 June 2009

Find out how Trevor got on

Sir Reg Empey and world skills competitor Trevor WoodsTrevor Woods, a young Joinery Apprentice from Lack, Co Fermanagh, has been selected as a member of Team UK and will travel to Canada in September to compete at Worldskills.

Trevor, an apprentice based at South West Regional College, Omagh,and employed by McAleer and Teague, Dromore, beat off strong opposition from other joinery apprentices from around the UK and will join up with 25 other talented young people who will go in September to compete at WorldSkills Calgary. Trevor was welcomed into the team at an exclusive event at the House of Lords today.

Congratulating Trevor on his tremendous achievement, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Trevor to demonstrate to the world just how good he is and I am very proud that once again Northern Ireland is being represented on Team UK for WorldSkills. The standard of vocational skills in Northern Ireland is extremely high as evidenced by the fact that Trevor has managed to beat off the challenge of other very talented young people from across the UK and earn his place on the Team following a tough selection process.”

The Minister added: “Northern Ireland has an enviable record in WorldSkills, with both a gold and bronze medallist from the previous two competitions, and I wish Trevor every success in Calgary.”

WorldSkills is the largest skills competition in the world, with over 200,000 spectators expected to watch a total of over 900 competitors from 51 countries, competing in skills ranging from bricklaying to landscape gardening, cooking and floristry.

Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of UK Skills, who manages Team UK, said “We are very pleased to welcome Trevor as a member of Team UK. The quality and dedication all our competitors demonstrated during the selection process was of the highest level, but the exceptional work that Trevor carried out proved to judges that he has what it takes to be part of Team UK and represent his country.

“Being selected for the Team however does not mean it’s time to relax. From now until September all our Team UK members will need to train hard to make sure that they are up to the world class standard they need to be at, to be able to compete against the best young skilled people in the world. We wish them luck in their final months of training."

Find out how Trevor got on

NOTE TO EDITORS:

  1. The WorldSkills Competition is the biggest skills competition in the world and is held every two years in one of its member countries. It sets world class standards in over 40 skill categories ranging from cabinet making to web design.
  2. Over four days of tough competition, young people drawn now from 52 member nations test themselves against tough international standards. The ultimate prizes are gold, silver and bronze medals.
  3. Locations of previous and future WorldSkills competitions:
    • 2003: St. Gallen, Switzerland
    • 2005: Helsinki, Finland
    • 2007: Shizuoka, Japan
    • 2009: Calgary, Canada
    • 2011: London, UK
  4. Calgary will host the 40th WorldSkills Competition, from 1st to 7th September 2009.
  5. UK Skills is responsible for selecting and training UK candidates for WorldSkills.
  6. The UK’s WorldSkills team is managed by UK Skills working in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and key partners from education, government and industry.
  7. City & Guilds support Team UK and are premier sponsors of WorldSkills London 2011.
  8. All media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office. Tel: 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.