Jason, a Design Engineer at Redrock Machinery and a Level 6 BEng (Hons) Engineering Degree student at Southern Regional College in Northern Ireland, was determined to get involved in WorldSkills UK Competitions when he began his apprenticeship. Inspired by the confidence and skills he saw in students who had taken part in the competitions, he knew it was an opportunity too valuable to pass up.
“I started competing in 2022 and won Bronze in Automation but taking Silver in Mechatronics at last year’s National Finals and being selected for the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 training programme was an incredible moment. It felt like all the hard work had truly paid off.”
For Jason, his success has confirmed what he already knew: choosing a Higher Level Apprenticeship was the right choice for him. However, following his A Levels, he was all set to go to university. There was little information given to him on apprenticeships in school, but it was his mother, an SRC Lecturer, who pointed out the opportunities an apprenticeship could offer.
“I approached Redrock—who had supplied machinery to my family’s farm—and they gave me the chance to start my apprenticeship. Since then, they’ve supported me every step of the way, especially with my WorldSkills UK training, recognising how much it’s boosted my skills and confidence.”
As part of Jason’s training with WorldSkills UK, he has been selected to represent the UK in Mechatronics with his teammate John at EuroSkills Herning 2025, Europe’s largest skills competition. His EuroSkills preparations include dedicated training sessions at Southern Regional College and at the Toyota Manufacturing training centre in Derby with WorldSkills UK Training Manager Calum Knott, who works for Didactic Services Ltd. The skills he is learning as part of this training, are all skills he can use in his role as an engineer at Redrock, where he currently designs components and assemblies for agricultural machinery and creates technical drawings for fabricators, as well as implementing automation in the form of welding robots.
“Taking part in WorldSkills UK really is a life-changing opportunity for me, and I know it will fast track my career” says Jason.
Follow Jason’s journey @WorldSkills UK
Pearson is the official partner of Team UK for EuroSkills Herning 2025 and WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.
Find out how the WorldSkills UK Learning Lab can support apprentices and learners.
