The gains from Gdansk

CNC Milling

• 5 Axis Machining is becoming the norm and increasing precision, with countries like Germany and Austria taking the lead in adopting cutting edge equipment into training. To keep pace, the UK firms and skills providers need to invest in this technology and equip young people with the skills required to harness it.

Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD

• New Autodesk 360 Fusion software is complementing 3D scanning, modelling and printing capabilities, which are in increased demand owing to the rise in rapid (additive) manufacturing. With demand for skills changing quickly and other countries like Portugal performing strongly, we’ve committed to a number of actions to boost the UK’s capabilities in advanced manufacturing outlined in our recent research.

Web development

• Increasing access to Level 4 & 5 skills will be key to the UK’s continued competitiveness and ability to better build frameworks and environments where web development tools can be used. Hungary is rapidly improving in this area.

ICT Specialist

• Software engineer and network administrator roles are becoming increasingly integrated and people are required to have increased knowledge of cloud solutions across CISCO, Microsoft and Linux. Whilst the UK is incorporating this well in higher levels, more can be done to incorporate this into pre and post-16 curriculum to lay the foundations.

Digital Construction

• The UK has led the way in creating the global standard for Digital Construction and bringing the discipline into both further and higher education settings as a technical route. This has helped attract foreign investment and boosted the global competitiveness of UK firms, as well as built a diverse pipeline of talent.

It is not surprising therefore that other nations are using these events as an opportunity to learn from the UK, just as we seek to gather lessons from our European and global counterparts. Policy-makers who gathered in Gdansk reflected on the importance of technical skills to wrestling with mega-trends such as climate change and technological transformation, and the importance for all countries to increase standards and participation.

International skills competitions play an important role in the visibility and attractiveness of technical and vocational education pathways and showcase what young people of all nations can achieve. The members of Team UK are already fantastic role models for young people taking their first steps in technical education, showing that there are no limits to where you can go.

As we reflect on EuroSkills Gdansk 2023 and begin preparations for WorldSkills Lyon 2024, we will continue to use our international insights and training methods to help more young people fulfil their potential, giving both UK and international businesses the high-quality skills they need to deliver high-quality jobs.