About the competition - Mechatronics
The competition is for technicians working or studying in the manufacturing and automation
industry. The Mechatronics competition is based on the standards attained by trainees who have
reached NVQ level 3 and working towards and HND or higher. The competition is open to education and
industry. Download the brief to find out more about the competition and complete the screening test
for your chance to compete in this years competition. For further information contact:
skilleng@ukskills.org.uk
Live competitions may be subject to a non-attendance fee. Please read the Competition Rules
to find out more.
Mechatronics Brief 85Kb PDF Document Download
Mechatronics Screening Test - Complete and submit by 2 May 2008 42Kb PDF Document Download
Competition Rules 91Kb PDF Document Download
Entry Levels: advanced, higher
Entry Type: Team competitors
Competition Type: Live
Who is this competition for?
The mechatronics competition is designed for two individual competitors to work as a team. The
competitors may work for the same company, attend the same training establishment or be two
individuals from different centres.
The competition is for mechatronics technicians under 25 years of age. It is designed to
attract entrants from all levels of expertise and related mechatronics qualifications.
What does the competition prepare you for?
The competition places you within the world of the mechatronics technician, who is normally
employed within large manufacturing organisations with a high volume of production, such as
automotive plants and automated production centres
The mechatronics technician works on the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance
of software-driven electronically controlled production equipment. This means working with
electronic, pneumatic, mechanical, hydraulic and electrical equipment.
Mechatronics technicians need to apply logic and possess good problem solving skills.
Young people enter a mechatronics apprenticeship through employment with a production
company. Mechatronics qualifications have a basis in HND mechanical and HND electronics and provide
a route to degree qualifications
What does the competition cover?
The tasks covered in the competition reflect the work undertaken by a technician in their daily
work. The competitors’ performance of these tasks is judged against identified industrial standards
by mechatronics experts.
The skills that are tested in the practical competition include
- designing, building and testing pneumatic, electrical circuits and PLC programmes for sequential and non-sequential tasks
- mechanically assembling a given set of components to a specification
- fault testing and repair operations on a given application.
To complete these tasks competitors are expected to apply their theoretical knowledge of
fundamental principles, automation, and pneumatic, electrical/electronic and PLC technologies.
The competition is a live national competition lasting two days. Subject to demand there will
be regional heats which lead the winners to a national final competition.
Competition stages
Stage 1: complete and submit screening test by 2 May 2008
Stage 2: detailed competition brief will be provided to short listed competitors
teams by 22 May 2008
Stage 3: teams compete in the Mechatronics UK final at Middlesex University on
12-13 June 2008
Download the brief to find out more about the competition and complete the screening test for
your chance to compete in this year's competition.
What happens if I win?
UK Gold winners will be invited to a high profile national awards event.
Subject to eligibility, outstanding national winners may be invited to compete for a place in
the UK team for a future WorldSkills competition.
Further information
For general information about competitions please contact:
WorldSkills UK contact centre 0800 612 0742 or email
skilleng@ukskills.org.uk
Further opportunities
There is the possibility of progressing to an
International WorldSkills competition.