It was announced today that UK Skills has won its bid to host the WorldSkills 2011 competition in London. Festo, an ardent supporter of the event and the sponsor of the mechatronics element of the competition, is delighted with this outcome. Learning of UK Skills' successful bid to host the event, Festo UK MD Gary Wyles said: "This is an excellent opportunity for UK manufacturing to focus on maintaining and developing its engineering skills base."
WorldSkills is the largest skills competition in the world with 40 different countries participating. The voting to decide the 2011 venue took place in Melbourne at the WorldSkills Annual General Meeting with delegates from the 38 different member nations of the WorldSkills organisation. And the UK bid won, beating off strong competition from Australia and Sweden. WorldSkills 2011 will take place in London from the 6th to the 9th Octoberat the ExCeL centre, one of the main venues for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Education and Skills Secretary Alan Johnson said: "This is wonderful news. We now have a unique chance with the Government, business and the education sector working closely together to raise the status of skills and vocational education dramatically and inspire a new generation of youngsters to take up good careers in all sectors of the economy."
There was strong support for the UK bid from the Government, the Mayor of London, business and individuals. Sponsors have pledged £11million in funding, which the Government has pledged to match if the bid proves successful. This funding would cover the costs of hosting the event, at around £22 million, which the Government has also agreed to underwrite.
Chris Humphries, Chairman of UK Skills, the organisation which spearheaded the UK bid, said: "This is such an achievement for the UK. We now have the foundations to raise the profile of WorldSkills in the UK and at a global level. We also now have the chance to raise the profile of the skills that will make the London Olympic and Paralympic Games possible. For too long the vocational route has been seen as inferior to academic studies but succeeding in the skills sector takes just as much dedication, determination and hard work. Participating in Skills Competitions drives forward individuals' aspirations, provides them with a way to benchmark their skills and to recognise their achievements."
