Taking part in WorldSkills UK Competitions is an important part of a student’s career development and learning experience at Northern Regional College, in Northern Ireland.
The College has a strong track record in regional, national and the international WorldSkills Competitions and that looks set to continue at WorldSkills Lyon, when two former students Charlie Carson and Jason Scott will represent the UK in Robot Systems Integration.
Karla Kosch, a lecturer in engineering at Northern Regional College and a WorldSkills UK Training Manager has been instrumental in helping to develop and grow the competition both at a national and international level.
National Success
WorldSkills UK launched the national ‘Industrial Robotics’ competition, in partnership with Fanuc, in 2021 as part of its commitment to champion future skills. Karla explains:
“To have a competition launch in Robotics was fantastic. I had seen the positive impact of students entering competitions in other skill areas and I was excited to be able to offer the development and learning experience to my students.”
Northern Regional College had four teams qualify in the 2021 WorldSkills UK Final. Karla confirms this was the motivation she needed to apply for the role of WorldSkills UK Training Manager. Alongside her lecturing role, she is responsible for training the young people who will represent the UK at the international WorldSkills Competition, and she also helps develop the international test projects.
Benefits of Competing
Karla highlights that the Robotics competition has generated vast interest among students and staff, helping with wider engagement in the sector.
“The profile of the competition, combined with the practical skills and in depth understanding of the industrial applications that students gain from competing, has also increased the interest of local employers.”
Competitions have also benefited those students studying BTECs and Foundation Degrees in engineering at Northern Regional College. The qualification enables student to enhance their technical skills by enabling a deeper understanding of the different disciplines of engineering and how they link together. Karla says:
“Completing the BTEC qualification in engineering allows for a seamless progression into an engineering career, providing students with the knowledge and practical skills that employers are looking for.”
Competitions can help students test this knowledge in timed conditions against peers in their college and across the UK, providing informative benchmarks to employers.
Team UK, powered by WorldSkills UK in partnership with Pearson.
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