From winning Gold in Additive Manufacturing at the WorldSkills UK National Finals to helping his employer embrace new technology, Oliver’s WorldSkills UK journey is already making an impact both on his career and in the workplace.
Oliver first became involved in WorldSkills UK when his lecturer entered him into the Additive Manufacturing competition. After progressing through the online qualifiers and regional competitions in London, Oliver earned a place at the WorldSkills UK National Finals in Manchester in 2024, where he was awarded a Gold Medal in Additive Manufacturing.
Now a second-year engineering apprentice, Oliver is studying for his HNC through Bath College while working for civil engineering consultancy BIMTek Limited. Although his role is focused on civil design engineering, his passion for engineering and making things began at a young age.
“I’ve always been interested in engineering,” he says.
“Growing up, I was always helping my dad around the house and making things. I’ve always enjoyed understanding how things work and creating things myself.”
After completing one of the first Engineering T Levels, Oliver chose an apprenticeship route instead of university. He felt a more hands-on approach would suit his learning style and wanted to gain industry experience from the beginning of his career.
“I didn’t feel university would be the best fit for how I learn. I wanted to be in industry, gaining practical experience while continuing my education.”
Competing in WorldSkills UK has already had a significant impact on Oliver’s career. Not only has it allowed him to develop new technical skills and build confidence, but it has also helped him become more work-ready by applying industry-standard practices, solving real-world engineering challenges and developing the professional skills needed in the workplace. The competition has also influenced the direction of his workplace. Since seeing Oliver’s success in Additive Manufacturing, his employer has begun exploring the technology more closely and has introduced several 3D printers into the business.
“My company BIMTek has really seen the value in what I’m doing,” he explains. “We’ve started looking at additive manufacturing much more seriously and exploring how it could be used in our work. It’s helping me move towards the kind of engineering career I’d like to build in the future.”
Oliver is proud to be the first WorldSkills UK competitor from both his college and workplace and hopes his success will encourage others to follow a similar path.
Being selected for Team UK has given Oliver the opportunity to continue developing his skills while preparing to compete against some of the world’s best young talent.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity to keep training and doing what I love. Representing the UK in Shanghai is something I’m really excited about, and it will be amazing to meet people from around the world who share the same interests in engineering and additive manufacturing.”
Preparation for Shanghai extends beyond formal training sessions. Alongside working with his WorldSkills UK Training Manager, Oliver spends much of his spare time developing his skills through his favourite hobby: 3D printing!
“Most of my free time is already spent working on additive manufacturing projects at home. The difference now is that I’m focusing that time more towards competition training. It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice because it’s something I genuinely enjoy doing.”
Earlier this year, Oliver travelled to China as part of his preparation programme, marking his first trip outside Europe.
“It was definitely different and the flights were very long, but it was an invaluable experience. It gave me a much better idea of what to expect and made me even more excited about returning for the competition.”
Reflecting on his journey so far, Oliver has simple advice for anyone considering taking part in WorldSkills UK competitions.
“Just enter and see where it takes you. That’s exactly what I did. I never expected that entering a competition at college would lead to representing Team UK on the world stage, but here I am preparing for Shanghai. You never know where the opportunity might lead.”
