WorldSkills UK
Who are WorldSkills UK?
Our mission is to empower young people from all backgrounds and champion future skills. We’re a proud member of WorldSkills, a global movement of over 80 countries which supports young people across the world via competitions-based training, assessment and benchmarking, with members’ national teams testing their ability to achieve world-class standards in the biennial ‘Skills Olympics’. From this, we use international best practices to raise standards in apprenticeships and technical education.
We inspire young people, whatever their background, to choose high-quality apprenticeships and technical education as prestigious career routes, as we believe that apprenticeships and technical education are prestigious career routes for all young people.
For career inspiration on roles, pathways and industries and to find out more about our prestigious skills competitions, check out the below and stories from our Skills Champions, who are previous WorldSkills UK competitors, or our Careers Advice Toolkit.
The toolkit is suitable for young people, parents, carers, teachers and careers leaders with free video case studies, webinars and teaching resources on technical education and apprenticeships.
On the toolkit, young people can speak to Cat, an AI career chatbot developed with Career Chat UK. Created in consultation with trained Level 6/7 careers advisers, ‘Cat’ provides expert career advice and information on labour market trends, roles, apprenticeships, and technical education across the UK.
Speak to Cat nowHear From Competitors About Their Technical Pathways and Inspiration
How we learn and what motivates us is unique to each person. Here’s why some of our competitors across different skills chose a technical pathway to kickstart their careers.
My career journey started…
“With my love of gaming. My mum, although very supportive, was sceptical that I could have
a career in it. I was pushed to go to university, but I knew this wasn’t the right choice for me,
so I enrolled in a 3D Game Design course at college. My tutor entered me into the
WorldSkills UK competitions to help develop my skills further. I was then picked to represent
the UK at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, which helped me secure my first design job. I am
now a Vehicle Artist at Cloud Imperium, an international independent game company.”
Dan
My career journey started…
“With WorldSkills UK Competitions. While at New College Lanarkshire, I saw an advert for
the WorldSkills UK ‘Digital Construction’ competition and thought ‘I could do that.’ I went on
to represent the UK at WorldSkills and I was introduced to my colleagues at Balfour Beatty
through a networking event as part of the competition. I was absolutely delighted when they
offered me the role of BIM Coordinator.”
Mona
My career journey started…
“With my apprenticeship at Marshall Skills Academy. Those four years gave me a solid skills
base and technical expertise on which I have built my career. I went on to graduate with a
MEng (Hons) Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Nottingham and was
named the world’s best aircraft engineer when I won gold with WorldSkills UK at the
international WorldSkills competition for which I was awarded an MBE for my achievements.
I am now continuing my training with the RAF.”
Haydn
Challenge the Champion: Competitions and Careers
Skills and knowledge go hand in hand. Watch our Skills Champions Georgie and Zara take on Will Best in a series of different skill areas such as health, beauty and carpentry, and discover the different skills needed as well as about Georgie and Zara’s competition and career journeys.
WSUK Challenge the Champion
Interested in Competing?
Skills Champions share their stories
These young WorldSkills UK Skills Champions all overcame challenges to thrive in life and work. These amazing videos of their journeys could help YOU make a difference to YOUR life!
Skills Champions are role models who inspire young people and empower them to explore their career direction by promoting excellence in technical education and apprenticeships. They are past WorldSkills UK skills competitor alumni. Have a look at their stories below and the industries they work in for inspiration on skills sectors, and technical education pathways.
Careers resources for careers leaders
Looking for informative and inspirational careers resources for this term and beyond for Key Stages 3 and 4? As a charity, WorldSkills UK is on a mission to inspire young people from all backgrounds across the UK to choose high-quality apprenticeships and technical education as prestigious career routes. Helping you to deliver key technical career and pathway information to students, from T-Levels and HTQs to Advance and Higher Apprenticeships, our resources are ‘off the shelf’ ready and available for free to use as and when you need.
Technical education and apprenticeships are incredible opportunities that provide students with the essential industry-specific knowledge and skills needed to flourish in their careers. Our resources support you and your students to:
- Learn about a range of technical careers, roles, and routes within the Construction and Infrastructure, Digital Business and Creative, Engineering and Technology and Health, Hospitality and Lifestyle sectors, including hours, key skills, salary information and future developments
- Explore the range of apprenticeship and technical pathways available, their entry requirements and structure (for all UK skill systems)
- Understand the value of technical routes and how they lead to successful careers, hearing from apprentice role models and industry experts
