Apprentices train for national skills competition

The heavy metal fabrication apprentice was one of 11 welding and construction students at the camp to prepare for the national WorldSkills competition in October. 

“You see the drawing and you go ‘how am I supposed to do this in two days?’,” Mr Tuppen, who made a model train from a sheet of steel over the week, said. 

“When you get down to the nuts and bolts of it it’s pretty basic.

“You’re pretty much melting steel trying to get it as perfect as you can.”

Third year apprentices Ian Gibb and Zak Biggin will compete as a team at the competition.

Gold medalists may progress to the Skill Olympics in Abu Dhabi next year. 

Mr Gibb, an apprentice in heavy metal fabrication, and Mr Biggin, a mechanical engineering apprentice, built a crane over the week.

“When we train we get to know each other at the same time,” Mr Biggin said. 

“I’ve found myself, just from training, being better at my job because you’re training a lot more than you would normally at work.

“I find I’m learning a better skill set I can use in my work place and in the competition.”