A skilled team of Lakes College welding learners represented their college, Cumbria and the North West in the national finals of the SkillWeld competition at the WorldSkills UK Live event last week.
Taylor Amor, Morgan Roberts and Danny Hills fought hard in the final and were up against tough competition from across the UK. Their efforts paid off and Morgan was presented with the Silver Award, with Danny being given the Highly Commended Award.
The 3-day SkillWeld final took place at the WorldSkills UK Live event in Birmingham. The competition was designed to test the students’ skills in three manual welding fusion processes. The competitors were asked to complete four weld tests which were then submitted to a panel of expert judges.
In order to qualify for the final, the learners took part in the SkillWeld regional heats back in July. They all performed to an extremely high standard and bagged the top 3 spots at the competition.
Morgan, who won silver in the final, commented: “This was my second time competing at SkillWeld, and the competition was really tough this year. There was lots of training involved, and we even held a mock competition at college with the same standards and marking criteria as the real thing. I’m really happy that I won another silver medal and would like to thank Clive and Jamie for all of the time they put into our training!”
Danny Hills, who won the Highly Commended Award, commented, “This year’s competition was really hard and very time-consuming, but it was really good fun and I enjoyed every moment of it. The best part was how competitive it was, and I’m happy I managed to come out of it with a great award. Thanks to Clive and Jamie for teaching me the skills I used at the finals!”
Clive Bell, Welding Lecturer at Lakes College, commented, “This was the college’s sixth year competing in the WorldSkills UK finals, and it definitely lived up to expectations. The event was incredible to watch and we’re extremely proud of our learners who all gained apprenticeships through Lakes College. It was amazing to see the welders use the skills they have learned in the classroom and apply them to a competitive and high-pressure situation. Well done lads!”
