Blackpool and The Fylde College will showcase their skills expertise to a global audience this week, when the UK plays host to the world’s greatest skills competition, WorldSkills London 2011.

From electronics to plumbing, creative arts and fashion to cabinet making, the UK’s most talented trainees will be in action over four exciting days of competition. 150,000 visitors are expected to attend and will see 1,000 competitors from 50 countries competing in 45 skill areas.

The contest is an opportunity to raise aspirations for students and to inspire future generations of skilled, high-quality professionals. Amongst them will be Blackpool and The Fylde College student, Rachael Carr, currently on the HND Electrical and Electronic Engineering programme and working at BAE Systems. Rachael will take on the world’s most highly skilled students, apprentices and employees when she represents Team UK in the Manufacturing Team Challenge.

Chosen from hundreds of applications, students from the College will also be demonstrating their talents at the international Showcase at the event. Showcase colleges and training providers will help to inspire the audience and help them to look at the endless possibilities for their future jobs and careers. Students and staff have been busy devising highly visual, entertainment displays which will allow the College to shine in front of a huge national and international audience. Blackpool and The Fylde College will present not one, but three showcases:

• Media Make Up students will be recreating several of Lady Gaga’s flamboyant looks
• The College’s acclaimed choir will be performing a fifteen minute set of songs
• Art, Design and Media students will record, photograph and capture the event for a video highlights package

Pauline Waterhouse OBE, Principal of Blackpool and The Fylde College sees this as a chance for young people from Blackpool to have a place in history:

“The last time a WorldSkills competition was held in the UK was over two decades ago – this really is a once in a generation opportunity for our students and we’re delighted that the excellent standards they achieve will be recognised to such a prestigious national and international audience. To be part of an event which recognises skills at the very highest level is truly aspirational and I have every faith that our students will rise to the occasion and help to put on a truly spectacular show.”

Jack Wealthall, a BA (Hons) Musical Theatre student said,

“We're really excited to have been chosen to showcase our choir’s talent at WorldSkills London 2011. It's great to be part of something this big and gain recognition for all the hard work we've put in. Our performance is going to wow the audience and I can’t wait for October!”

John Hayes, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, explains:

“As host nation, we have a vital opportunity to demonstrate how skills shape the lives of individuals and national life. We are delighted by the number of organisations who applied to showcase and feel that by demonstrating skills from hairdressing to aircraft engineering, we can show the rest of the world just how crucial skills are for fuelling growth and feeding prosperity.”