Work-based training more useful than higher education, says UK workforce

Job-related training has been voted to be more beneficial than higher education by the UK workforce, in helping individuals perform well in their job, research published by the National Training Awards revealed today. National Training Awards is run on behalf of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) by UK Skills.

Research performed in conjunction with YouGov reveals some of the following insights:

• Half of all UK workers feel that job-related skills and knowledge development training have been most beneficial in helping them perform well in their job.
• 52% of workers say they feel more employable in difficult economic times by learning new skills or getting extra training.
• 68% of workers think that their training and skills development are important to the UK economy as a whole.

Research likes this helps reinforce how important skills are to both the UK and the global economy, both in economic terms and also in the eyes of the general public. Skills competitions like WorldSkills London 2011 help support and promote vocational education and training which is essential.

The other side of the fence by Katie Watson

Guest post from Katie Watson, Bronze Medallist, Restaurant Service, WorldSkills Calgary 2009


In the past few weeks, I have been involved with the work of WorldSkills, but from the other side of the fence than I'm used to as a past Competitor. The selection process for the next Team UK is now underway and I have been getting involved with the selection process and competitions, rather than competing itself.

The selection process for the next group of hospitality competitors began at Hotelympia's 'Search for a Star' salon competition, held at ExCeL London in February 2010. Competitions in all the hospitality skills: Pastry/Confectioner, Cooking and Restaurant Service, ran simultaneously throughout the day.

Being on the other side of the fence was much more difficult than I first thought and it took me some time to get used to having to watch five competitors carrying out the same Restaurant Service task at the same time. I always thought the Competitors had it hard!

Being there brought back a lot of great memories for me of my first competition in the selection process and of being involved with the WorldSkills Competition. It was incredible to see so many young people with an interest in hospitality competing to be the best in the UK and starting the tough journey that may earn them a place in Team UK at WorldSkills London 2011.

If you want to learn more about Restaurant Service as a skill and the WorldSkills Competition then please visit our website. You can see pictures of the live competition and take a look at many of the other skills that will be at WorldSkills London 2011, but I would always recommend Restaurant Service!

WorldSkills Amercias

The first ever WorldSkills Americas has been held in Rio de Janeiro from 10th - 13th March 2010. Countries like Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and the United States of America competed at the Event, which also coincided with the Brazilian national competitions. Experts and delegates also attended from all over the world to observe and assist with the management of the competitions.

You can see all the results here. The Event was hosted in Brazil by the National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI) who aim to incentivise sharing experiences across the continent and promote vocational training in Brazil. Since its inception in 1942, more than 47 million people have recieved training and earned certification through SENAI.

WorldSkills London 2011 congratulates all those who were involved with WorldSkills Americas and we look forward to seeing you in London!

The London Group meets this Tuesday

Tomorrow, the second meeting of our London Group is taking place at City Hall, the headquarters of the Greater London Authority (comprising of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly). This group brings together a collection of London organisations and individuals to discuss how London can make the most out of hosting WorldSkills London 2011.

The Event is a great opportunity for London to showcase what an amazing city it is to an expectant international audience. The London Group's aims are to help realise the opportunities from the WorldSkills London 2011 event, engage London's young people and secure the Event's legacy. By doing this, it hopes to deliver maximum postive impact for London.

This group also works in co-operation with the Legacy Group, which brings together organisations from all over the U.K who wish to support WorldSkills London 2011. The WorldSkills London 2011 Partnership team run both of these groups in order to help deliver a successful event, but also to help leave a lasting legacy to London and the U.K, inspiring people to see vocational education and skills as leading to a valuable and worhtwhile career choice.

We have over 20 organisations attending, including Visit London, LOCOG/London 2012 and London Underground, and we are always looking for more, so if you would like to be involved please contact Michael Osbaldeston (mosbaldeston@worldskillslondon2011.com) or Sereen El-Jamal (sel-jamal@worldskillslondon2011.com).

Sponsorship of WorldSkills London 2011

In October 2011, London will host the 41st WorldSkills Competition. Young talent from over 50 countries/regions will display their outstanding ability in 45 skills categories. This spectacular event will attract international and UK business leaders, government ministers, policy makers, teachers, trainers, students and the media across the four days of the Competition at ExCeL London.

To host such a prestigious international event, we need the support of business and industry and, therefore, the sponsorship effort for WorldSkills London 2011 is now in full swing. We have introduced additional team members since Christmas and two or three more Sponsorship Managers are currently being recruited. We have also produced our sponsorship brochure, explaining the many benefits of being part of the Event, along with a short film showcasing why existing sponsors and supporters are involved.

Our current sponsors include City & Guilds, Honda, Learndirect, Car-O-Liner, Marshalls and Festo with agreements pending with many other organisations. Amongst the many benefits, involvement will enable sponsors to engage with young people and profile their organisation as a future employer, develop new networks and contacts for the future and act as a voice on skills for their industries.

WorldSkills London 2011 will not happen without the generosity, support and enthusiasm of our sponsors and partners and so we'd love to hear from you if you are interested in getting involved.

To find out more, please call +44(0) 20 7429 2854 or email sponsor@worldskillslondon2011.com

'Making the Games': A new website by Edge

Edge, the premier supporter of Squad and Team UK, has just launched their new website 'Making the Games'. The website lets young people go behind the scenes of preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games. By following a group of professionals who are passionate, ambitious and successful, but also very practical; Edge hopes to change perceptions and raise the stature of practical and vocational learning in the UK.

WorldSkills London 2011 is delighted to be featured on this website as, in addition to creating an unforgettable skills experience at the Event, we also would like to help inspire people to see vocational education and skills leading to a valuable and worthwhile career choice.

Edge is an independant education foundation. It is dedicated to raising the status of practical and vocational learning, so that all young people have the opportunity to achieve their potential, and the UK's future workforce is equipped with the skills to be successful in the modern economy. Edge believes that 'learning by doing' is as important as academic learning, and that there are many paths to success.

Success at WorldSkills: A guest post from Northern Ireland

A guest post from Northern Ireland, one of the Devolved Nations bringing WorldSkills London 2011 to the UK:

Trevor Woods, a joinery apprentice from County Fermanagh, won a coveted bronze medal at the WorldSkills 2009 Competition in Calgary.

Trevor, a City & Guilds qualified apprentice at South West Regional College, Omagh, and employed by McAleer and Teague, Dromore, beat some of the best young skilled people in the world to win the medal at the biggest skills based competition in the world. He competed as part of the 26 strong UK WorldSkills team, which won nine medals in total.

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, who supported Trevor during the competition said "I would like to congratulate Trevor on this magnificent achievement. The standard of skills that I witnessed in Calgary was extremely high, and Trevor should feel very proud that his commitment and hard work have paid off to make him the best in the world. Northern Ireland has once again shown that we have a talented workforce with the high level of skills that are required to compete in the global economy."

Bill McGinnis, attending the event in his role as Northern Ireland Advisor on Employment and Skills said "Trevor's outstanding success in Calgary, against worldwide competition is a shining example to others in Northern Ireland of what can be achieved through individual commitment and skills development. This excellent achievement will also have obvious benefits for Trevor's employers, McAleer and Teague, who should be commended for their support. I would encourage individuals and employers, across all sectors in Northern Ireland, to recognise the benefits that can be gained from upskilling and participating on the global stage."

David Cooper, Chairman of Skillbuild NI said: "We are absolutely delighted for Trevor, he has worked extremely hard over the last twelve months to perfect his skills and has now been acknowledged by winning a WorldSkills Bronze medal - a tremendous achievement. We are thrilled that having demonstrate his skills on the local stage at the Skillbuild Northern Ireland Competition, Trevor has been able to achieve such success on a world stage. This award reflects the exceptionally high standards of technical and professional education in Northern Ireland."

We would love to hear about other WorldSkills success stories from all around the world. If you have experiences to share with us, why not visit our Facebook page to join the discussion?