Pearson was proud to sponsor Team UK at the WorldSkills competition in Lyon this month, helping to boost the profile and prestige of technical and vocational education.
Key takeaways:
- From 10-15 September, the WorldSkills Lyon competition took place in France.
- Over 1500 young people from 69 countries competed.
- Team UK competed across 27 different skills – winning numerous medals along the way.
Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying the UK team to the WorldSkills competition in Lyon, France, as Pearson is the official partner for the team this year.
Over 1500 young people from 69 countries competed over four days of tough competition in different skills categories, ranging from cooking, health and social care, floristry and cabinet making to 3D digital game art, cybersecurity, web technology and robot systems integration. The event was watched by over 250,000 spectators, attended by policy makers from across the globe, including President Macron who was at the opening ceremony, and covered by media outlets worldwide.
I was blown away by the talent and dedication of all the young people whose skills are a culmination of months, sometimes years, of training and perfecting their craft. It was incredible to witness.
Luke Haile won bronze in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Image via Flickr)
Events that champion and celebrate skills excellence are rare, which is why we are so excited to be right at the centre of WorldSkills 2024, recognising vocational education as a force for inclusion, progression and change.
There was an incredible sense of community and collaboration. WorldSkills isn’t just about celebrating achievements, although that is so important, it’s also about sending a powerful message to governments, educators, and industries about the critical role of skills in driving economic growth and personal success.
Huge congratulations to Team UK
Team UK competed across 27 different skills - from digital construction to cooking, electrical installation, and robot systems integration. They won an impressive range of medals and accolades, including two silver medals for ‘Joinery’ and ‘Plumbing and Heating’; two bronze medals for ‘Refrigeration and Airconditioning’ and ‘Autobody Repair’; 13 medallions of excellence and a ‘Best in Nation’ recognition for ‘Restaurant Service’.
Ruby Pile won ‘Best in Nation’ for Restaurant Service (Image via Flickr)
As a next step, WorldSkills UK, a four-nations partnership between education, industry and UK governments, uses the insight it gains from participating in the international WorldSkills Competition to embed world-class training standards across the UK. We will be helping them to publish their final report and recommendations. Learn more about our UK team and the event: Medals rain down on Team UK - WorldSkills UK
Members of Team UK celebrate their success at the closing ceremony (Image via Flickr)
The team is cheered on by friends and family (Image via Flickr)
Team UK in action
Authored by Claire Riddle, Vice President Marketing, BTEC Qualifications