New College student goes for gold in WorldSkills Competition

Bricklaying student Joe Gleed is going for gold this week in Edinburgh, as he competes at the finals of the national WorldSkills UK competition.

Over 500 finalists including Joe, will compete for gold, silver and bronze awards this week (Monday 14-18 November), in a range of disciplines, with the finals taking place in venues across the four corners of the UK. From bricklaying in Edinburgh, to the new industry 4.0 competition in London, via aircraft maintenance in Cardiff and culinary arts in Belfast, young people up and down the UK have the opportunity to compete against the very best in the country.

Designed by industry experts, the WorldSkills UK competitions help young people to grow personally and professionally, developing their technical and employability skills and boosting their confidence. If competitors impress judges at the national final, the winners of each competition will be announced by Steph McGovern in a special live medal ceremony show broadcast from her Packed Lunch Studio on Friday 25 November. They could also be in with a chance of representing the UK in the “Skills Olympics” which take place in France in 2024.

Joe Gleed is currently undertaking a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Bricklaying at the College’s North Star campus and is employed by P.J. Greaves and Partners, based in Royal Wootton Bassett. He was successful in the regional heats of this prestigious competition in July 2022, achieving one of the top eight marks for his work in the competition from across the whole of the UK. The National Final for Construction is being hosted by Edinburgh College at their Granton Campus between Tuesday 15th and Thursday 17th November.

Caron Edwards, Head of Apprenticeships at New College Swindon said:

“This is an absolutely fantastic achievement for Joe and the College is incredibly proud of him. The standard of these competitions is very high and to reach the finals is amazing. He is a great apprentice with a really strong work ethic. We will all be rooting for him this week.”