Write a commentSouthern Regional College Greenbank Campus apprentice Armondas Tamulis has been selected to compete in Wall and Floor Tiling at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi.
Armondas is from Portadown and studied Level 2 and 3 Wall and Floor Tiling at Newry's Greenbank campus. Armondas is no stranger to competitions and has previously won the NI Skillbuild and UK regional WorldSkills Gold Medals and the Montgomery Award from the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers.
The WorldSkills two-year selection process has seen competitors win regional heats, a national final, European finals and last month jump the final hurdle reaching the most testing international standards at a team selection showdown. The talented skilled professionals including Armondas will continue to undergo a rigorous regime of Olympic style training in preparation for the most intense week of competition imaginable.
WorldSkills UK, which helps young people ‘Go Further, Faster’, is spearheading the use of competition in the workplace, training centres, schools and colleges to inspire the next generation and fill the skills gap. WorldSkills is the largest international skills competition which takes place every two years and brings together over 1000 young people from over 70 countries to compete to be named the Champion in over 50 different skills.
WorldSkills CEO Dr Neil Bentley said: “This is a critical moment for the future of these inspirational young people – and our economy. The WorldSkills Finals in Abu Dhabi are more important than international sporting fixtures spurring on competitors to achieve the highest international standards to inspire more and more young people to get into apprenticeships and technical careers, getting them off to the best start in work and life.
“Our ability to produce the right number of skilled, motivated, young people is vital for productivity, competitiveness and economic growth. Skills top the agenda of so many organisations – Governments across the UK and the CBI through to the Trade Unions and education sector.
WorldSkills UK, funded and supported by the DfE, devolved governments and commercial partners, utilises revolutionary training techniques usually associated with elite sporting teams, athletes and competitors.
Performance coaches and skills experts spend hundreds of hours honing their skills and drawing upon physical, mental and holistic methodology to produce optimum achievement under the most testing ‘pressure cooker’ conditions.
“We ensure that Team UK members have the skills-set and the right mind-set required to be the best and have the confidence, focus and determination to prove it.” Said Dr. Bentley.
At the last WorldSkills Competition, held in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2015, the UK achieved its best ever result and was ranked seventh in the medal table. SRC student Gary Doyle brought home Gold from Sao Paulo and we have every faith Armondas will do the same!
