NI Apprentice Takes To World Stage

A Fermanagh apprentice has been selected to represent the UK at the Worldskills event in Canada later this year.

Joiner Trevor Woods, from the town of Lack, is currently studying at Omagh's South West Regional College.

He has been chosen, along with 25 other young apprentices from across the United Kingdom, to compete in September's international competition.

Trevor and the rest of the UK team attended a reception at the House of Lords earlier this week, in recognition of their achievement.

Employment Minister Sir Reg Empey extended his congratulations to the young man.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for Trevor to demonstrate to the world just how good he is and I am very proud that, once again, Northern Ireland is being represented on Team UK for WorldSkills," he said.

"The standard of vocational skills in Northern Ireland is extremely high as evidenced by the fact that Trevor has managed to beat off the challenge of other very talented young people from across the UK, and earn his place on the Team following a tough selection process," Sir Reg added.

WorldSkills is the largest skills competition in the world, with over 200,000 spectators expected to watch a total of over 900 competitors from 51 countries, competing in skills ranging from bricklaying to landscape gardening, cooking and floristry.

Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of UK Skills, who manages Team UK, said: "Being selected for the team however does not mean it's time to relax.

"From now until September all our Team UK members will need to train hard to make sure that they are up to the world class standard they need to be at, to be able to compete against the best young skilled people in the world. We wish them luck in their final months of training."

(PR/JM)