Driven by his passion for engineering and the military and influenced by his experiences living in the Middle East and Far East, Luke reached out to Lightfoot Defence Ltd for work experience. Reflecting on his journey, he says, “Securing work experience in this field gave me a real-world understanding of engineering, proving to me that this is the career path I would like to follow. Since completing my apprenticeship, I haven’t looked back.”
Fast forward six years, and Luke is now 20 years old and a qualified Aerospace Refrigeration Technician working with the same company. After completing his Level 3 apprenticeship in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning at Eastleigh College, Luke chose to continue his education and has just completed his HNC in Mechanical Engineering. Building on this, he is enrolled to start his HND in September.
In preparation for WorldSkills, Luke has developed technical, personal, and life skills by training and competing across the United Kingdom as well as internationally in countries such as China and France. “In Lyon, I will be tested on commercial refrigeration, which differs from my usual niche of military refrigeration. But this means in my role at Lightfoot Defence, I can now work across a broader range of projects when the opportunity arises,” he explains.
While completing his apprenticeship at Eastleigh College, Luke was invited by his tutor to take part in WorldSkills UK Competitions. “Competing gave me the opportunity to test my skills against other young technicians both regionally and nationally. It was fantastic to be awarded the Gold medal and be named the best in the UK for 2022.”
Luke is keen to promote the opportunities he has had through WorldSkills UK to other young people. He says, “Participating in WorldSkills UK is not without its challenges, but for those willing to invest their time and effort, it offers remarkable personal and career growth.”
Looking ahead to WorldSkills Lyon 2024, Luke is grateful for the support he has received from his friends, family, and Lightfoot Defence. He is excited to take his place on the world stage and demonstrate the UK’s ability in the refrigeration category.
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