Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Duo fly the flag for college as Worldskills UK finalists
Two students from Coatbridge will be flying the flag for Scotland and New College Lanarkshire (NCL) at next week’s Worldskills UK finals.
Imogen Wright and Taylor Williamson will join 22 other finalists from NCL in contention for the annual skills competition which involves students and apprentices from across the UK vying for medals in their chosen trade discipline.
This year, unlike any previous event, the finals will be staged at 23 venues in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales, with NCL’S Motherwell campus one of the chosen venues.
Imogen Wright is a finalist in the mechanical engineering: CAD category of the event. She studied HND computer aided draughting and design at the college’s Motherwell campus.
Imogen, 21, said: “Since starting college I have had the best support from every lecturer in the CAD team which has helped my skills get to the level that they are.
“I feel proud to have been selected as a finalist for the competition and grateful that my hard work over the past few years is paying off. I’ve seen the level of talent and commitment from past competitors, so I am looking forward to getting started and ready for the challenge.
“I think competing is a great opportunity to test and develop my technical skills whilst improving being able to work under pressure, which I’m sure will serve my career well.”
Taylor Williamson is a finalist in the digital construction discipline at the 2021 finals. He studied HND computer aided architectural design and technology (CAADT) at NCL’S Motherwell campus.
Taylor, 21, said: “I’m ecstatic to be a part of the NCL team competing in the Worldskills UK final.
“I see Worldskills as a fantastic way of proving our skills, to not only potential employers, but also to ourselves.
“The competition also puts the digital construction course out there and helps raise awareness for this part of the construction sector.”
NCL is set to host seven of the competition’s 64 disciplines at its Motherwell campus on November 17-18.
Professor Christopher Moore, principal and chief executive at NCL, said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to all those students and apprentices who took part in this year’s national qualifiers, and to our 24 finalists who will represent NCL at the Worldskills UK finals.
“It is a tremendous testament to our finalists’ hard work, determination and enthusiasm that they are able to demonstrate their talents in this globally-recognised competition, all the while supported by a team of our dedicated lecturers.”
The winners of all devolved finals will be unveiled at a ceremony hosted by TV presenter Steph Mcgovern from her Packed Lunch studio on Friday, November 26.