For Emily, what started as a decision to “give it a go” has become an opportunity to represent Team UK on the world stage.
Now a qualified Mechatronics Maintenance Technician at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, Emily is preparing to compete at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 alongside her teammate Liz, taking on some of the world’s best young professionals in Mechatronics.
Emily first became involved in WorldSkills UK during her apprenticeship at Toyota. For Emily, Mechatronics was a natural fit because it reflects the work she carries out every day. Combining mechanical, electrical and programming skills, the competition mirrors the challenges she faces in her role at Toyota.
Her route into engineering was not straightforward. Initially, Emily enrolled on a mathematics degree at university but quickly realised that a traditional academic route was not right for her.
“It was too much theory. I wanted a more hands-on kind of learning way.”
After leaving university during her first year, Emily found the practical learning environment she was looking for through an apprenticeship at Toyota. The opportunity allowed her to gain real workplace experience while continuing to develop her skills and knowledge.
Today, she is a qualified technician and continues to build her career with Toyota. She credits both her apprenticeship and WorldSkills UK experience with helping her develop the technical skills, confidence and problem-solving abilities needed to succeed in the workplace.
One of the biggest impacts WorldSkills UK has had on Emily is her confidence.
“It’s improved my confidence massively. It’s made me a lot more confident and willing to do things that I probably wouldn’t have done before.”
The competition has also strengthened her technical knowledge, helping her improve her fault-finding skills and develop a deeper understanding of how systems work. Emily believes these experiences have helped prepare her for future career opportunities while making her more confident in her day-to-day role.
Being selected for Team UK was a proud moment and recognition of the hard work she has put into her development.
“It means everything, to be fair.”
Preparation for Shanghai has included intensive training with her Training Manager, Calum, independent practice at home and international pressure tests. Earlier this year, Emily travelled to the Netherlands, where she had the opportunity to test her skills against international standards and learn from competitors from other countries.
“It was really good. There were a lot of learning points that we probably wouldn’t have realised if we hadn’t gone.”
Toyota has also played an important role in supporting Emily’s journey. The company has provided flexibility around shift patterns and training commitments, helping her balance work and competition preparation.
“The support from Toyota has been fantastic. They understand the value of what we’re doing and have been very accommodating when it comes to training and competition commitments.”
Emily believes Toyota’s support has been instrumental in helping her develop both professionally and personally while preparing for international competition.
One of the biggest challenges she has faced throughout her WorldSkills UK journey has been overcoming self-doubt.
“The self-confidence side of it, to be fair. I never believed I would be able to do it.”
Through training, support and experience, she has developed the belief needed to compete against some of the world’s best young professionals.
Looking ahead to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, Emily is most excited about sharing the experience with her teammate Liz, who has become one of her closest friends since they started their apprenticeships.
“Just being able to do it with Liz would be insane.”
Although they now work in different areas of the business and on different shift patterns, they continue to train together regularly and support one another throughout their WorldSkills UK journey.
Her advice for anyone considering taking part in a WorldSkills UK competition is simple: “Just give it a go. I never would have thought I could do it, but I’ve been selected for Team UK now. If you don’t give it a go, you’ll never know.”
As she prepares to represent Team UK in Shanghai, Emily hopes her story encourages others to step outside their comfort zones and seize opportunities when they arise. From leaving university in search of a more practical path to competing on the international stage, her journey shows how confidence, determination and a willingness to embrace new challenges can open doors to extraordinary opportunities.
