Double prize time for apprentice Steven

Steven Harper, who works for Derek Mitchell Electrical Ltd, came first in the Electrotechnical Modern Apprenticeship Competition (eMAc) recently.
He was also first in the Scottish heat of SkillELECTRIC, the UK’s skills competition for apprentice electricians.
The 21-year-old won both competitions after completing two days of practical tests and tasks based on workplace scenarios faced by electricians, which was held at West College Scotland in Paisley.
Steven said: “I’m so pleased to have won both eMAc and SkillELECTRIC.
“It’s a tough two days as the competitions are very challenging, but it’s a testimony to the training I’ve had on site and at college that I was able to do so well.”
He added: “I’d encourage anyone who gets the opportunity to take part in both of these to do so, it’s a great way of finding out how much you’ve learned and a chance to get to know other apprentices and test yourself against them.”
Steven now faces a wait to see if he has achieved a high enough total score at SkillELECTRIC to win a place in the UK final in November.
If successful, he will compete alongside seven other finalists to win the chance to represent the UK at the biennial WorldSkills event – the world’s largest skills competition – in Kazan in 2019.
Speaking on behalf of WorldSkills UK Competitions, Dr Neil Bentley, said: “I offer my congratulations to Steven and wish him the best of luck.
“WorldSkills UK Competitions are proven to enhance a person’s apprenticeship or training programme by enabling them to develop key character and employability skills.
“By using knowledge gained from competing nationally and internationally, we know we are working to benchmarks that will equip more young people with the right skills to help UK businesses better compete globally.”