Three Accountancy Apprentices from Buxton & Leek College have proved their prowess and mathematical know-how in regional accountancy skills competitions, earning their places in the 2024 WorldSkills UK National Finals.
Representing BLC in the Accountancy Technician finals are Aaron Woodward who’s working with Bradbury & Son Ltd, Daniel Hallworth an apprentice from Prisma, and Eoin Jones from Grassmats. Unlike Aaron, who has already completed his Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships with Buxton & Leek College, Daniel and Eoin are still relatively new to the finance industry, having begun their apprenticeships last year, but are clearly thriving in their chosen fields as they prepare for the final alongside Aaron.
Globally recognised, WorldSkills UK sees apprentices across the country participate in regional and national competitions at their local colleges, training provider centres, workplaces, or online. Championing technical education as one of the key pillars necessary for economic growth, the competitions now span over 40 different skill sectors.
Stephanie Traynor, Operations Manager for Apprenticeships at BLC congratulated the students on their outstanding achievements. “Their dedication, hard work, and exceptional talent have brought them to this prestigious stage, and we couldn’t be prouder.
All three students are a testament to the excellence and commitment that define our college and we wish them the best of luck in the finals as they continue to shine and inspire!”
Working to help the UK to become a ‘skills economy’, WorldSkills empowers young people from all backgrounds by advocating for vocational training and colleges like Buxton & Leek College to give an ultimately careers-focused approach to further education.
As part of the University of Derby, Buxton & Leek College has even more to shout about, as The University has a further two apprentices advancing to the WorldSkills UK National Finals.
Working with the Nuclear Skills Academy, a programme utilised by both UoD and BLC, Oliver Ballington and James Cantrill will represent their organisations in the Welding Skills category.
Jason Pimborough, Nuclear Skills Academy Manager commented: “Many congratulations to our competition winners who we will all be cheering on in the Nationals
“My thanks to the teams that worked hard to make the event happen, including our very own apprentices who assisted in setting up and running the day.
“The University of Derby and the Nuclear Skills Academy works hard to ensure that skills are at the very forefront of our agenda. Our strong partnership with Rolls-Royce Submarines ensures we are developing the very best for a future in nuclear engineering.”
Talented apprentices from across the UK will journey to Manchester from 19th to 22nd November to compete with 400 of the country’s best apprentices at various venues around the city, with finalists and medalists from all categories being honoured at Manchester’s prestigious Bridgewater Hall on Friday 22 November.
To find out more about Apprenticeships at Buxton & Leek College and the Nuclear Skills Academy at Rolls-Royce head to www.blc.ac.uk.
