Member Article

Competing to be named best in the world!

If you thought Brazil was all about next year’s Olympics, think again. Reece Taylor, 22, from Consett is competing to be named the best young welder in the world and win Gold at the world’s largest skills Competition, WorldSkills, taking place in São Paulo, Brazil from 11 to 16 August.

Reece was selected to represent Team UK in Welding after excelling in Squad UK and the WorldSkills UK National Skills Competitions.

WorldSkills is the largest international skills competition in the world. Held every two years, the Competition sees around 1000 young people, aged 18-25, from all over the world come together to compete for medals in more than 45 different skills including Electrical Installation, Welding, Web Design, Cooking and Bricklaying.

By participating in the WorldSkills Competition, the UK is able to share best practice on vocational teaching, raising standards and expertise in further education, skills and apprenticeships on a global scale. Team UK will showcase the UK’s world class vocational and further education system by demonstrating their skills in a range of industries.

Carole Stott, Chair, Find a Future, which manages the UK’s entry into the WorldSkills competition said: “I offer my congratulations to every young person that has earned a place in Team UK. “Skills competitions showcase the levels of performance that can be achieved by individuals and organisations through high quality further education, skills training and apprenticeships in the UK.”

Reece Taylor said: “It is a huge honour to have been selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015. It still really hasn’t sunk in! The support and training from staff at Derwentside College and my employer, Dyer Engineering, has helped me to this final stage of the competition. Without this encouragement throughout my apprenticeship, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If you want to learn a trade, an apprenticeship is the way forward - it is the best decision I ever made.”

Steve Chambers, Engineering Lecturer at Derwentside College said: “From day one we saw Reece had a natural ability. He watched, he questioned and he exceled - we are extremely proud of how far Reece has come and wish him the best of luck for the competition.”

Karen Redhead, Principal and Chief Executive at Derwentside College said: “I would like to offer Reece my warmest congratulations. Winning the opportunity to represent your Country, college and employer on a world stage is a significant achievement and one that Reece thoroughly deserves following his substantial efforts to progress to this stage over the last two years. The College looks forward to supporting Reece in his preparation for Brazil.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Michelle Dale .