The skills of 37 ambitious young people from the south east were celebrated at an award ceremony organised by SEESEL (South East Education, Skills and Employment Group for London 2012) and held at Sandown Park Racecourse yesterday afternoon. The 37 were all winners of competitions run by UK Skills and organised in partnership with regional employers, colleges and training providers to find young people with the skills and talent to compete for a place in Team UK at WorldSkills 2011 and beyond.

 

The ceremony was hosted by Stella Mbubaegbu, principal of Highbury College, Portsmouth and south east regional champion for WorldSkills, with a little help from business leader and chief executive of VT Group plc, Paul Lester, and Garry Wilson of Mercury Radio.

 

Welcoming close to 200 guests to the ceremony, Stella spoke about the role WorldSkills plays in raising young people’s aspirations and cultivating the highest possible standards in an ever increasing range of vocational skills.

 

“We have become very accustomed,” Stella said, “to celebrating achievements in all sorts of activities, such as sports and the arts, but there are relatively few opportunities to shine the spotlight on outstanding vocational skills. WorldSkills UK competitions [run by UK Skills] give us that opportunity.”

 

Stella went on to confirm that the south east region would be fielding more members of Team UK for the 2009 Worldskills event, which will be held in Calgary, Canada in September, than any other region.

 

Guests also heard from Young Chef of the Year 2009, Will Torrent, 22, who was the first Brit to win a WorldSkills Medallion of Honour in the patisserie competition when he represented Team UK at WorldSkills 2007 in Japan. Will, who has worked with the likes of Heston Blumenthal and Gary Rhodes, is not only one of the UKs most promising chefs, he is also a fervent champion of skills and the value of the WorldSkills movement.

 

Although there were no would be stars of the kitchen picking up prizes at yesterday’s ceremony, the winning youngsters represented a wide range of vocational skills, including various disciplines within engineering and construction, design, hairdressing and beauty, floristry and care –­ and guests enjoyed a performance from Chichester College Contemporary Dance Group, who had competed in a dance heat held at the college.

 

The ceremony also acknowledged the vital role played by the colleges across the region that had hosted competitions and the employers, training providers and sector skills councils that had helped to organise them.

 

Closing the Ceremony, David Smith, area director of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Surrey and Sussex and chair of SEESEL, added his own thanks to all the hosts and organisers and said he looked forward to seeing more employers getting involved with the WorldSkills movement. He finished by congratulating the winning local and regional competitors on their achievements to date and wishing them, and our competitors in Calgary, success in their quest for excellence.

 

The aim of SEESEL, which comprises representatives of the LSC, SEEDA and the Sector Skills Alliance, is to work with UK Skills to promote WorldSkills London 2011 and draw attention to the legacy of WorldSkills, encouraging employers and providers to support what is in effect the world’s youth skills Olympics.

 

For more information contact the LSC South East press office on 0118 908 2148 or at adam.sharp@lsc.gov.uk