WorldSkills UK 2016 medallists announced at The Skills Show

More than 500 talented young people took part in the Wordskills UK competition at The Skills Show, held over three days at Birmingham’s NEC. The competition covered 61 different skills - from beauty therapy to mechatronics and robotics - in front of thousands of visitors.

“I would like to congratulate all the gold medal winners – indeed everyone who made it into the national finals,” said Dr Neil Bentley, CEO WorldSkills UK. “The medal winners will be rightly celebrated by their family, friends and colleagues but also by all of us – they are our future and role models to inspire the next generation of talent into fulfilling careers with skills at their heart.”

During a visit to the Skills Show Robert Halfon MP, Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, hailed the event as a crucial date in the UK calendar to help bridge a 'complex' skills shortage which had arisen over the last five years.

The Minister said of the Show: “We must have the best skills in this country to compete with the rest of the World. In this hall is the best of Britain in terms of skills and apprenticeships – and this what our country is going to become.”

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.

The 44th World Skills Competition will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in October 2017.