Hosted by 15 different countries, WSC2022SE replaces WorldSkills Shanghai 2022 which was cancelled due to the pandemic.
WorldSkills is a competition-based development programme designed to enhance practical skills and knowledge taught on vocational courses by assessing the competitors’ skills in a competitive environment.
It supports young people across the world via competitions-based training, assessment, and benchmarking, with the national teams ultimately testing their ability against other international competitors in the biennial ‘Skills Olympics’ which this year were due to be held in Shanghai in China. WorldSkills Shanghai 2022 was cancelled due to the pandemic and replaced by WSC2022SE.
Adam, who has also been selected as one of seven competitors to be a Team UK Role Model, completed a Foundation Degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Northern Regional College in Ballymena, graduating with Distinction in May 2022.
Cameron did a Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the College in Ballymena, also graduating with Distinction at the College’s graduation ceremony earlier this year. Both Adam and Cameron were able to progress directly to the second year of a BEng (Hons) degree at Ulster University.
Adam and Cameron are no strangers to WorldSkills competitions. They were silver medallists in the Industrial Robotics category at the UK National Finals in 2021 and hope their success at national level will help them in the international finals in Luxembourg.
Describing the Foundation Degree as “everything I could ever want”, Adam explained:
“I left school after A-levels but didn’t feel ready for university. I decided to do a Foundation Degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Northern Regional College and found the experience invaluable.
“A Foundation Degree is the perfect stepping-stone for university. I developed a variety of skills, including industrial robotics programming, material testing, CAD (computer aided design) and quality analysis skills and got valuable practical, hands-on experience of using machinery.”
He said the skills developed during his time at the College became even more obvious during his industrial placement at New World Developments Ltd., a Ballymena based composite doors and windows manufacturing company.
“The teaching standards at Northern Regional College are second to none. The lecturers are always more than happy to assist and provide further information on a specific topic. The equipment is industry standard, and students get training that will prepare them for the real world.
“The WorldSkills competition is the perfect example of an opportunity I would never have had, had I not studied at the College.
“Taking part in the WorldSkills competitions has been an amazing experience. Not only was I able to develop a range of industry skills, but I developed soft skills such as endurance, patience, and commitment. Having a combination of all these skills will help me become a well-rounded engineer.”
Adam added that being selected as part of Team UK for the WorldSkills International finals had been a real boost for his confidence:
“The competition has really improved my public speaking skills and boosted my confidence in advance of graduating from university and kick-starting my career,” he added.
Like Adam, Cameron said the Foundation Degree is an ideal pathway to university. He is studying Mechatronic Engineering and currently doing a placement year with Sensata Technologies.
“When I didn’t get the A levels needed for university, the Foundation Degree in Engineering at Northern Regional College really helped my transition and meant I could go directly into second year with a good understanding of what the degree would involve and what it could lead to.
Cameron added that the skills and knowledge he developed at the College have benefited him enormously, not only at university but also while on placement.
“Having done the Foundation Degree, I was already familiar with many of the topics and this was a great advantage,” he said.
Karla Kosch is an engineering lecturer at Northern Regional College and Training Manager in Robot Systems Integration for WorldSkills UK. She explained that to qualify for the finals, competitors needed to demonstrate their skills in a competitive environment, showing how they could communicate ideas and work together effectively.
“I am so proud of Adam and Cameron. Qualifying to represent Team UK on the international stage is an amazing achievement.
“Their hard work, commitment and determination to succeed has been clearly evident, not only during the industrial robotics training sessions ahead of the international finals but throughout the entire qualifying process. I am confident that they will continue to demonstrate their full commitment to achieving excellence in industrial robotics and will become highly valued engineers.”
Karla added: “It is a great achievement, not only for Adam and Cameron personally but for the College as only five competitors from across Northern Ireland were selected for Team UK.”
Finally, Karla acknowledged the tremendous contribution offered by all stakeholders in supporting world-standard training for Adam and Cameron including, Fanuc UK Ltd., Sensata Technologies Ltd., Northern Regional College and Ulster University.