What is WorldSkills?

The WorldSkills Competition takes place in a different country every two years and brings together over 1000 young people from across the globe to compete in skills ranging from welding to web design. The competitors pitch their skills against the best of the best and compete for gold, silver and bronze medals.

WorldSkills is the largest vocational skills competition in the world and attracts thousands of visitors such as schools, colleges and training providers, government representatives, employers and teachers.

For all the young people who take part it is an invaluable, unique learning experience and for the visitor it provides information, knowledge and inspiration. If that isn't enough, in 2011 WorldSkills is coming to London!

Latest College World Skills News

Duo make their mark in regional Skillbuild competition

City College Norwich carpentry apprentice Sam Wigger and bricklaying student Sam Hill each made their mark in the Eastern region Skillbuild competition held at Oaklands College in St Albans on Tuesday.  Up against the best young carpenters and joiners in the region, Sam Wigger claimed third place in the carpentry competition.  Meanwhile Sam Hill, who is on a level 1 bricklaying course at City College Norwich, put in an excellent performance against more experienced competitors who are all currently training at level 3.

In the carpentry competition competitors were tasked with designing and then building the frame for a roof.  This involved several stages of skilled preparation and craftsmanship – all against the clock and under the pressure of competition – in order to successfully complete the challenge.  Sam Wigger, 20, from Taverham, was one of only a handful of the 14 competitors to successfully complete all elements of the task within the allotted time.  Careful measurement and accurate application of geometric principles were crucial to success in this event which really stretched all of the participants’ skills.  Sam was awarded with a certificate and XXX knife from Skillbuild for his third place finish. 

Competitors in the bricklaying competition were given just 6 hours to build a 1.5 metre high patterned wall.  Judges scored the competitors on the uprightness, accuracy of measurement and levelness of their walls. Sam Hill, 17, from New Costessey, was the only level 1 student out of the 10 participants in this competition and was up against level 3 apprentices who are nearing the end of their apprenticeships.  Sam performed exceptionally well to build a wall that was of a comparable standard to the walls built by the more experienced bricklayers.    

City College Norwich Principal, Dick Palmer, said: “I would like to congratulate Sam Wigger and Sam Hill, who have both done really well in displaying their skills and craftsmanship in this competitive format.  They were up against the top students in the region in their respective disciplines and should be proud of their achievements.  Competitions like Skillbuild are a great way for our students to really extend themselves and also to have their vocational skills recognised and celebrated”.          

The Eastern region Skillbuild competition covered 10 crafts in all, from bricklaying and stonemasonry, to carpentry and cabinet making.  The winners of each competition will now go forward to compete in the national final - where the skills challenges take two and a half days to complete - and will have the opportunity to challenge for a place on the WorldSkills UK team and to compete at the 2011 WorldSkills competition in London.