Three former Apprentice Decorator of the Year finalists have begun training to compete on the global stage as they prepare to take part in the WorldSkills Shanghai 2021 as part of Squad UK.
All three competitors impressed the judges at last year’s Apprentice Decorator of the Year (ADY) competition, which marked the 40th year of Crown Paints’ sponsorship. Lewis Boyle, who won the silver medal in the 2019 competition, is joined in the squad by 2019 finalists Bridie Kilby and Thomas Nowell – both of whom also competed in the 2018 ADY final.
The three young decorators have joined apprentices from all trades on the WorldSkills UK Talent Programme and will undergo a rigorous 18-month training programme to put them through their paces and help them hone their skills.
The first squad bootcamp has already taken place, with Lewis, Bridie and Thomas heading to Loughborough University to meet with training managers and the WorldSkills Performance and Wellbeing Team. There, the apprentices were given an introduction to the ‘road to Shanghai’ and discussed how they can ensure they achieve peak performance, including having the right mental attitude.
Later this year, WorldSkills UK will select a group of apprentices from across the trades to compete at EuroSkills Graz in September 2020, before the selection tests take place to determine who will secure a place in the team representing the UK on the ultimate stage in China in 2021.
Over 80 countries and regions take part in WorldSkills, so Lewis, Bridie and Thomas will truly be pitting their talents against the very best in the world.
Commenting on the WorldSkills Squad UK announcement, Crown Paints’ ADY competition manager and head judge Kevin O’Donnell said: “Lewis, Bridie and Thomas acquitted themselves very well in the 2019 ADY final, and I’m very happy for them to be given the chance to compete on an even bigger stage in Graz and, hopefully, in Shanghai too. It’s a huge opportunity for them, and I hope they grasp it with both hands and make their colleges, their employers, and all of us here at Crown Paints proud.”
