Mike helps Team UK Painting and Decorating Competitors prepare to compete against the world-leading opponents at WorldSkills International Competitions.
“There are many similarities between the preparation that Callum Bonner, Team UK competitor in Painting and Decorating, will undertake and that of an elite athlete training for the Olympics,” says Mike. “In preparation for the competition, I have given Callum different exercises to develop his capability and he has also travelled to Russia and China to take part in their National Competitions as part of his training.”
However, technical skills are only half the story when it comes to taking part in international competitions. The members of Team UK need the mind-set of medal-winning champions if they are to succeed. Positive attitudes and high levels of motivation and concentration can be hard to maintain when competition is tough.
To help Team UK prepare themselves, Mike works with a team of Olympic Coaches to deliver a programme that takes the key learnings of sports psychology which includes nutrition, communication skills, health and wellbeing and performing under pressure.
As a Training Manager, he is also able to use the competition experience to improve his own teaching practises. He embeds competition activity into the curriculum at Dundee and Angus College, helping to share this expert training with all students.
