Young engineers named best in the UK

Girl power leads the charge

UK industry’s most talented learners, apprentices and technicians were crowned Skills Show 2016 champions after three days of intense competition – with six of the seven girls competing in Semta’s engineering competition making it on to the podium.

Katie Goodwill, Rolls-Royce plc and Christine McDowell Belfast Metropolitan College struck gold, Eva Blessing Onyelou, Middlesex University and Hannah Frost UTC Sheffield took silver while Nicole Catney of Belfast Metropolitan College and Kendal Irvine of JCB Transmissions were awarded Bronze in Semta’s engineering competitions, which saw 116 regional heat winners battle it out for medals.

They were among more than 500 talented young people who took part in competitions covering 61 different skills over three days at Birmingham’s NEC in front of thousands of visitors.

Independent judges assessed the work of competitors and the winners were presented with their medals at The Medal Ceremony on Saturday evening (Nov 19).

Ann Watson, chief executive of Semta who are the organising partner for 13 of the engineering competitions on behalf of WorldSkills UK said: “It is fantastic to see so many talented young engineers being recognised for excellence and especially pleasing to see more girls than ever before making it on to the podium in our competitions.

“To compete in front of tens of thousands of visitors and then win a medal is a tremendous achievement.

“I am very encouraged by the standards set and congratulate not just the winners but all those who took part, showcasing their skills and hopefully inspiring the next generation into a career in engineering.”

The engineering competitions run by industry skills specialist Semta are: Aeronautical Engineering (Avionic), Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical), CNC Milling, CNC Turning, Industrial Electronics, Mechanical Engineering: CAD, Mechatronics, Robotics, Construction MetalWork, Sheet MetalWork, Welding and the Manufacturing Team Challenge.

Among the many employers represented were JLR, BAE Systems, Airbus Operations, Qinetiq,  Toyota,MPI Ltd and Alstom Power.

As well as the competitions at The Skills Show, a series of high profile speakers gave inspiring spotlight talks, seminars and there were Have-a-go opportunities in dozens of skills disciplines.

MEDAL WINNERS:

Competition Level Forename Surname Organisation Region Medal
Aeronautical Engineering: Avionic Advanced David Firth Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group East of England Gold
Aeronautical Engineering: Avionic Advanced Jack Prince QinetiQ South West Silver
Aeronautical Engineering: Avionic Advanced Ryan Pattison Royal Navy South East Bronze
Aeronautical Engineering: Mechanical Advanced Ben Higgins QinetiQ South West Gold
Aeronautical Engineering: Mechanical Advanced Balazs Sparing Coleg Cambria Wales Silver
Aeronautical Engineering: Mechanical Advanced Thomas Roberts MPI LTD East of England Bronze
CNC Milling Advanced Leigh Clarke Electroimpact UK Ltd Wales Gold
CNC Milling Advanced Ryan Dexter Electroimpact UK Ltd Wales Silver
CNC Milling Advanced Joe Harrison Coleg Cambria Wales Bronze
CNC Turning Advanced Katie Goodwill Rolls-Royce PLC East Midlands Gold
CNC Turning Advanced Sam Sibert Chesterfield College East Midlands Silver
CNC Turning Advanced Oliver Hyde Training 2000 Limited North West Bronze
Construction MetalWork Advanced Christopher Taylor Training 2000 Limited North West Gold
Construction MetalWork Advanced Benji Daems Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education Yorkshire and Humberside Silver
Construction MetalWork Advanced Jonathan Holding Burnley College North West Bronze
Industrial Electronics Advanced Christine McDowell Belfast Metropolitan College Northern Ireland Gold
Industrial Electronics Advanced Daniel Skinner BAE Systems South East Silver
Industrial Electronics Advanced Nicole Catney Belfast Metropolitan College Northern Ireland Bronze
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Andrew Joyce CarnaudMetalBox Yorkshire and Humberside Gold
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Mark Smith CarnaudMetalBox Yorkshire and Humberside Gold
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open James Thomason CarnaudMetalBox Yorkshire and Humberside Gold
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Ewan Holley Magellan Aerospace (UK) Ltd. Wales Silver
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Liam Hutchinson Magellan Aerospace (UK) Ltd. Wales Silver
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Gareth Vale Magellan Aerospace (UK) Ltd. Wales Silver
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Dylan Edwards JCB Transmissions Wales Bronze
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open Kendal Irvine JCB Transmissions Wales Bronze
Manufacturing Team Challenge Open George Walker JCB Transmissions Wales Bronze
Mechanical Engineering: CAD Open Ross Megahy New College Lanarkshire Scotland Gold
Mechanical Engineering: CAD Open Andrew Mill New College Lanarkshire Scotland Silver
Mechanical Engineering: CAD Open Alex Corcoran Training 2000 Limited North West Bronze
Mechatronics Advanced Tom Coote BMW UK Manufacturing South East Gold
Mechatronics Advanced Matthew Webb BMW UK Manufacturing South East Gold
Mechatronics Advanced Hannah Frost UTC Sheffield Yorkshire and Humberside Silver
Mechatronics Advanced Tom Spires UTC Sheffield Yorkshire and Humberside Silver
Mechatronics Advanced Branagh Arden-Howard BMW UK Manufacturing South East Bronze
Mechatronics Advanced Jai Robinson BMW UK Manufacturing South East Bronze
Mechatronics Higher Alex Bufton Toyota Manufacturing Ltd East Midlands Gold
Mechatronics Higher Jamie Mann Toyota Manufacturing Ltd East Midlands Gold
Mechatronics Higher Andrej Lieskovsky Middlesex University London Silver
Mechatronics Higher Piotr Nowicki Middlesex University London Silver
Mechatronics Higher Will Davis UTC Sheffield Yorkshire and Humberside Bronze
Mechatronics Higher Kamil Zmich UTC Sheffield Yorkshire and Humberside Bronze
Robotics Open Kai Bryant The John Warner School London Gold
Robotics Open Brooklyn Pedley The John Warner School London Gold
Robotics Open Eva Blessing Onyeulo Middlesex University London Silver
Robotics Open Rahul Vekaria Middlesex University London Silver
Robotics Open Robert Cockerill The John Warner School London Bronze
Robotics Open Callum Joy The John Warner School London Bronze
Sheet MetalWork Technology Open John-Robbie Sanderson Training 2000 Limited North West Gold
Sheet MetalWork Technology Open Gareth Phillips Coleg Cambria Wales Silver
Sheet MetalWork Technology Open Andrew Parsons City of Wolverhampton College West Midlands Bronze
Welding Advanced James Leigh Elliott Alstom Power West Midlands Gold
Welding Advanced Conor Alexander Lakes College, West Cumbria North West Silver
Welding Advanced Sam Meagan Lakes College, West Cumbria North West Bronze