SkillFRIDGE
SkillFRIDGE national final on the horizon
The SkillFRIDGE competition series, sponsored by Toshiba, is set to reach its pinnacle next month as the national final takes place as part of The Skills Show. Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 16-18 November, the event will serve as a national showcase for bright young talent emerging in five skill sectors.
Organised by WorldSkillsUK, the Show also
provides young people with hands on experiences, valuable information regarding vocational pathways and the opportunity to network with expert careers advisors, industry brands and key organisations.
After nine regional heats, eight apprentices studying up to Level 3 RACHP have been selected to compete in SkillFRIDGE final: Jonathon Lansdowne, an apprentice at
Technical Retail Services, and Lewis Walker, who is serving a four year apprenticeship with Clover Technical, are both heading to the national final after qualifying during the regional heat hosted by Glasgow College.
Eastleigh College will also see two of its students competing after both Stephen Taylor and Jack Culhane achieved scores high enough to qualify for the national final.
Stephen comments on his time as an apprentice:
“Kooltech offered me this opportunity as soon as I left school, and three years down the line I’ve realised this was and still is the best place for me to learn and get experience.” Jack, who is serving a three year apprenticeship with Gelidus AC, echoes this sentiment, commenting: “I work with all different types and brands of air conditioning and refrigeration systems, so I’m learning new things about each system and its common faults every day. I entered SkillFRIDGE to test myself and see how well I could do – it’s been a really positive experience and I hope to learn even more along the way!” Orlando Rawlings earned his spot in the final during the regional heat at Grimsby College. Whilst he knew that he wanted to pursue a career in engineering, he was unsure about which industry to enter until he started his three year apprenticeship with Daikin UK. Orlando says: “This industry is constantly growing and expanding as technology increases, so it’s a highly sustainable industry to work in. What I enjoy the most about my job is travelling the UK – I get to see many places from a view that most people won’t get the chance to!”
Also competing in the SkillFRIDGE final is Gary Elder of Harry Dunlop Refrigeration, who qualified during the regional heat hosted by Southern Regional College. Chandler Davison, who is two years into his
Stephen Taylor, Kooltech
three year apprenticeship with Thermocold Refrigeration, entered the SkillFRIDGE competition after a recommendation from one of his lecturers at Bath College. Chandler says: “My college lecturer explained the process and showed me how much of a useful exercise the competition could be by challenging my practical and theory knowledge.” Luke Courtney of Dunbia Ltd achieved a gold medal at the 2016 final and will return to compete this year in the hopes of scoring high enough to be considered to represent the UK at the WorldSkills competition in Russia in 2019. The eighth finalist will be revealed in due course. SkillFRIDGE competition operating partner
Orlando Rawlings, Daikin UK
(COP) manager Karena Cooper says: “This year’s competitors have truly raised the bar. We’ve seen many young people who have a real passion for the industry, who are committed to their personal development and the future of this vital sector. “The presence of these aspiring engineers at The Skills Show will serve as an excellent advertisement for the industry, and the range of exciting career options that are available. I would like to extend my congratulations to all of this year’s finalists and wish them the best of luck for the final!”
Karena continues: “For those who wish to show their support for SkillFRIDGE, there is still time to get involved by judging in this year’s final. If you are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, being a SkillFRIDGE judge could be the ideal role for you.” For more information on how to get involved, contact Karena Cooper on 01622 699 150 or at
kcooper@datateam.co.uk.
To find out more about The Skills Show and WorldSkills UK visit
www.worldskillsuk.org www.acr-news.com October 2017 23
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