Elliott Dawson, 20, who is training at Training 2000 Limited and employed by Fort Vale, Accrington, Lancashire, is the CNC Milling candidate; Ross Megahy, 21, who is training at New College Lanarkshire is taking on the Mechanical Engineering Design- CAD challenge; Jack Dakin, 22, and Danny Slater 24, both trained and employed by Toyota Manufacturing, Derby, are fronting the country’s Mechatronics hopes; and Scott Kerr, 21, trained at Coleg Menai, Wales and employed by PFS ofLlanerch-y-Medd, Anglesey, is the UK’s welding contestant. The UK has no representation in Industrial Control or Mobile Robotics, however.
The EuroSkills Finals, which includes teams from across Europe, is the last such event before the UK is scheduled to leave the EU next year, although the UK’s participation in these contests will continue, as the country is a member of 28-country WorldSkills Europe organisation and also the broader 79-country WorldSkills effort.
In EuroSkills 2016, the UK won Gold for Welding, Bronze for Mechatronics and got Medallions for Mechanical Engineering Design- CAD challenge and CNC Milling.
Dr Neil Bentley, CEO of WorldSkills UK, which selects and trains Team UK says: “This will be a life-enhancing opportunity for these remarkable young people.
“After Brexit, our economic success as a nation will be dependent on our ability to close major trade deals and attract inward investment – and this will always hinge on demonstrating we have people with the right skills.
“Team UK is the embodiment not only of the kinds of traits and characteristics that we should aspire for in a young workforce, but for the UK Government’s ambitions for Global Britain too.
“They are leaders of their generation – and will inspire many more to walk in their footsteps.”
