KMF Apprentices bag national medals and look to place in Team UK for World Skills 2015
1 min read
KMF (Precision Sheet Metal) apprentices Harley Brian and Ryan Murphy moved closer to being part of Team UK at the next World Skills competition, after taking Gold and Silver medals, respectively, in the Advanced Sheet Metal category during the Skills Show at Birmingham's NEC this month (November).
Harley and Ryan, who are just entering their third year as apprentices at KMF, hope to follow in the footsteps of their mentor, and former KMF apprentice Matt Page, who was part of the team representing the UK at World Skills Leipzig 2013, in the sheetmetal category. The recent Skills Show competition saw almost 700 apprentices competing for places in the Team UK training squad for Brazil 2015, representing more than 40 diverse skill groups. Harley and Ryan will now join other medal winners on an intense two-year programme, which will see them compete against each other for a coveted place on the plane to Brazil in 2015.
Sheetmetal technology was only reintroduced to the list of skills in 2009, after a long absence, so it is particularly pleasing to KMF that it has had apprentices selected for Team UK on the two occasions that it has entered since then.
"We are extremely proud of the achievements of Harley and Ryan at this year's Skills Show and we will be giving them every encouragement and all the support that they need over the next two years to assist them in gaining a place on Team UK as it heads out to Brazil in 2015. The experience we gained with Matt this year, will help to ensure that Harley or Ryan have the best possible chance to bring home Gold from Brazil," says Jenny Conlon, KMF's training centre manager.
The sheetmetal technology category is a wide ranging remit, with apprentices challenged in skills that can be seen in everyday products found in sectors such as automotive, aerospace structures, construction, shopfitting, and catering equipment. The winner is expected to show a good understanding of all these skills and be able to put them into practice using traditional hand crafts as well as modern computer technology using CADCAM and CNC metal cutting and forming equipment.
Image: Silver medallist Ryan Murphy (left) and Gold Medal winner Harley Brian who will now commence training to be part of Team UK at World Skills Brazil
