Two apprentices from Shotts and Newmains are being sent to Russia With Love after a special parliamentary send-off.
Wall and floor tiler Mark Scott, pictured top, and mechanical engineer Ross Megahy, are among five Scots in the UK team for the Work Skills finals from August 22 to 27 and were given a tour around Westminster before their trip.
Mark, from Shotts , trains at City of Glasgow College and works at J McGoldrick & Sons.
He said: “I’ve faced regional, national, European competitions and team selection – but this is the biggest challenge of them all. I’m doing this for my country, my family and everyone that’s helped me get this far. I am pumped and ready for action.”
Teams from more than 70 countries and regions will compete in 56 disciplines ranging from cyber security, 3D game gesign, to plumbing, painting and decorating, electrical installation, cooking and floristry in an enormous purpose-built structure outside the Tatarstan capital Kazan, which is 800 km east of Moscow.
Ross, from Newmains, who trains at New College Lanarkshire , is no stranger to international competition having competed in the EuroSkills Finals in Budapest last year.
He said: “I live and breathe competition and am desperate to do well in Russia. I know that the pressure will be intense, but I feel as though I can cope with it.”
