The UK’s biggest skills competition is coming to Lanarkshire.
They’re widely known as the Skills Olympics – and New College Lanarkshire’s Motherwell campus has been chosen as a venue for the 2021 national finals of WorldSkills UK.
The campus will host students and apprentices from across the UK as they compete for gold, silver or bronze medals in their chosen skills discipline.
The contest is normally staged annually at Birmingham’s NEC exhibition centre, but this year will be held at 23 venues in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Seven of the competition’s 64 disciplines will be staged in Motherwell.
These will be held over the course of two days, from November 17 to 18.
Professor Christopher Moore, principal and chief executive at New College Lanarkshire, said: “The WorldSkills UK finals in Birmingham have become a highpoint of the academic calendar for our students and staff, so to be chosen as one of the venues to host the devolved 2021 finals is a great honour for us, as it closely aligns with our core value of bringing education closer.
“We are proud to have 24 finalists representing New College Lanarkshire who have risen to the challenge of competing under the unusual circumstances posed by the last year, all the while supported by a team of dedicated lecturers.
“I look forward to extending a very warm welcome to students and apprentices from across the UK as they compete in seven, digital skills-based disciplines at our Motherwell Campus next month.
“Given the success of NCL alumni who have gone on to win accolades at WorldSkills competitions internationally, we are happy to have this opportunity to put Lanarkshire at the heart of a global skills community.”
New College Lanarkshire has claimed the title of ‘Best in the UK’ at WorldSkills UK’s national finals in 2013, 2014 and 2019, in addition to finishing in the top three places in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
More than 3000 candidates registered to take part in the UK-wide competitions back in March.
Once the 400-plus finalists have demonstrated their skills in the national finals, the winners will be unveiled at a ceremony hosted by TV presenter Steph McGovern from her Packed Lunch studio on Friday, November 26.
Ben Blackledge, deputy chief executive officer of WorldSkills UK, said: “After a year without competitions due to the pandemic, it was really encouraging to see so many people competing in the qualifying rounds.
“I want to offer my congratulations to all those that took part and wish the competitors at New College Lanarkshire the best of luck for the finals.”
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