Automation is a fast-growing field of engineering with many exciting opportunities opening up for anyone with the specialist skills needed to programme industrial robots to perform automated manufacturing tasks.
Since industrial robotics was introduced as a skills category for WorldSkills in 2021, teams representing Northern Regional College have enjoyed phenomenal success. They have topped the medal table, winning gold medals for three consecutive years, and a clutch of silver and bronze medals.
Being a WorldSkills medallist can be a platform for further success. As well as improved employment prospects, there are many other advantages. Medal winners (aged 24 and under) are eligible for selection to Team UK and an opportunity to compete in international competitions. As members of Team UK, they benefit from additional training ahead of the international competitions, which are considered to be the Olympics of vocational skills.
The qualifying process for the 2024 WorldSkillsUK national finals got underway at Northern Regional College earlier this year with 22 engineering students, working in teams of two, competing in a series of inter-campus competitions.
Seven teams qualified for the regional heats, or ‘passive stage of the competition’ held at the College’s Ballymena campus in April. This could potentially lead to the qualifier stage in June at Smart Factory Expo at the NEC in Birmingham.
Following the qualifier stage, the top teams from across Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales will secure a coveted spot in the UK national finals in Fanuc UK, Coventry in November.
The College’s success in industrial robotics at WorldSkills is in no small part due to the dedication and commitment of engineering lecturer, Karla Kosch who meticulously prepares her students for the competition. Karla, who is Training Manager in Robot Systems Integration for WorldSkills UK, was Deputy Chief Expert for EuroSkills in Gdansk last year and Chief Expert for WorldSkills international competitions in Lyon in September 2024.
This year, Karla had an extra ace up her sleeve as she was able to call on former Foundation Degree engineering students and WorldSkills medallists to help her train the 2024 contenders for WorldSkills UK honours.
Charlie Carson and Jason Scott, gold medal winners in 2022 and Adam Kirkpatrick and Cameron Middleton, silver medallists at the national finals in 2021 have all represented Team UK in international competitions.
Charlie and Jason achieved a Robot Systems Integration Medallion of Excellence at EuroSkills in Gdansk 2023 and are now preparing for the international competitions in Lyon, France this September. Adam and Cameron were selected to represent the UK in Robot Systems Integration at the WorldSkills International competition in Luxembourg 2022.
Charlie completed a Foundation Degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and is now in the second year of a BEng degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Ulster University.
Jason is currently working as a mechatronics engineer with AES Global in Cookstown. Having secured his selection for WorldSkills international competitions, Jason has decided to concentrate on preparing for the World finals in Lyon. He then plans to complete his BEng degree in Mechatronics in Denmark.
Adam studied Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and progressed to Ulster University. He completed his BEng degree with First Class honours and is currently working as Manufacturing Engineer with Wrightbus.
Cameron studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering and is now in the final year of a BEng degree in Mechatronics, having completed a yearlong placement with Sensata Technologies.
Last October, both Adam and Cameron secured Assistant Training Manager roles with WorldSkills to support Karla as she prepares UK competitors for the international series of competitions.
Karla explained that although competing in WorldSKills can be a very rewarding experience for the students, it does require serious commitment.
“I am delighted that our former students and medallists have agreed to come back help train current students and give them the benefit of both their positive WorldSkills experience and industrial robotics knowledge.
“Competing in WorldSkills does involve dedication and extra work but students realise that it is well worth the effort. The skills they develop and knowledge picked up on their WorldSkills journey will benefit them enormously in their future careers.”
She continued: “Adam, Cameron, Charlie and Jason are great ambassadors for both the College and WorldSkills. THeir success on both the national and international stage has been inspirational and I am most appreciative of how they have been so generous with their knowledge and time to support our current students as they prepared for the national competitions.”
In April, fourteen students, working in teams of two, took part in the passive stage of the competition at Northern Regional College’s Ballymena campus. They included both Level 3 and Foundation Degree engineering students: Adam Snoddy and Josh Shaw; Diarmuid Casey and Max Kerr; Adam Murray and Shane Armstrong; Rhys Wright and Joel Anderson; Callum Clarke and Emmet McGuigan; Cormac Devlin and Seamus Patterson; Ashley Harrow and Harry McKeown.