Applauding those medalling kids

Of course for some of the attendees, the source of that excitement may have had as much to do with a day away from the classroom and the prospect of getting their hands on freebies as with the technology or the prospect of a career. Even so, only a hardened cynic would have been able to resist a smile at the sight of so much youthful enthusiasm – let alone question whether or not it was genuine. While this aspect of the Show was pleasing, more pleasing still was the way in which the competitors in the WorldSkills competition were throwing themselves into their respective contests. Perhaps more important, though, was the fact that they were being recognised, applauded and rewarded for skills acquired in many cases from vocational education. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Business Secretary Vince Cable had already made clear the enthusiasm with which both he and the Government as a whole regard vocational education, saying: "I want to see a world where it isn't just the 40% of young people who go to university that we celebrate, but the others who are acquiring vocational skills and training which is every bit as valuable – if not more so." Comments like this and competitions like WorldSkills are to be applauded, aiding as they do in boosting the esteem with which skills such as those demonstrated by the young engineers taking part in WorldSkills are held. And while the award of a medal for engineering skills may seem a small thing to some, the positive effect it could have on the engineer, his or her peers and engineering as a whole is potentially vast.