Sign up to receive our latest updates to your email
SubscribeUseful links
Meet past WorldSkills UK competitors from a range of skills and across five topics, discover tips, practices and inspiration to enhance preparation and performance, and apply your learning to achieve your best.
Created with Skills Champions, past WorldSkills UK competitors who champion skills excellence, these sessions aim to provide key insights and top tips to increase competition readiness and motivation.
The sessions are open to all national finalists in all skills, we particularly encourage attendance from women in STEM skills and competitors from ethnically diverse backgrounds as these groups are currently underrepresented across our programmes.
introduction to the topic, exploring WorldSkills UK’s Psychological Characteristics for Developing Excellence.
hearing from past competitors about their top tips and experience at the national finals.
Q&A with past competitors and the competitions team, with key takeaways to support tangible actions.
100% of respondents felt inspired and more confident, valued hearing from a Skills Champion, felt more motivated ahead of finals, and left with practical advice to use.
100% of respondents improved their self-leadership, communication (seeking support), stress management, confidence, and overall preparedness.
“The session was useful especially getting to speak to previous competitors and hear about their experience.”
“It was invaluable having a competitor sharing their experience and helping guide us on our journey.”
“It was a good insight into a previous competitor’s mindset and gave a concrete plan on how to best train for the competition.”
“I feel more confident for the competition.”
“I have learned a lot of tips about winning mindset.”
| Topic | Description | Dates (Session 1 and 2) | Skills Champions |
| Adopt a winning mindset | Join us with Skills Champions in this session to hear how they practiced commitment, focus and distraction control and used practice to have a winning mindset when they competed. You’ll gain important and insightful advice with a Q&A on how to develop your own winning mindset for the national finals 2026. | Session 1: Thursday 17 1:30-2:30pm | Adhi, Silver medal, Additive Manufacturing, National Finals.
Tonicha, Medallion for Excellence, Laboratory Technician, Kazan. Isaac, Bronze medal, Web Development, National Finals. |
| Session 2: Thursday 17 September, 6:30-7:30pm | Ellis, Gold medal, Electrical Installation, National Finals.
Adhi, Silver medal, Additive Manufacturing, National Finals. Rhydian, Medallion for Excellence, Website Technologies, Gdansk. |
||
| Navigating challenges | Working well and performing under pressure is essential to competing, where encountering challenges can be expected. Whether it’s training or competition, meet Skills Champions to hear about how they used support and planning to overcome obstacles and barriers, with inspiration as to how you can overcome your own. | Session 1: Wednesday 30 September, 1:30-2:30pm | Charlie, Medallion for Excellence, Robot Systems Integration, Gdansk.
Izzy, Medallion for Excellence, Digital Construction, Lyon. Mary, Silver medal, Special Effects for Hair, Make-up and TV, National Finals. |
| Session 2: Wednesday 30 September, 6:30-7:30pm
|
Ashley, Silver medal, Laboratory Technician, National Finals.
Suzanne, Bronze medal, Laboratory Technician, National Finals. Ellis, Gold medal, Electrical Installation, National Finals. |
||
| Habits of Champions | What are marginal gains and practices to help you succeed? Skills Champions share their top tips and key advice on how they used performance evaluation, self-organisation and practice to prepare for competition, providing practical advice as to how you can plan and train to achieve your best results during competition, answering any questions you may have. | Session 1: Thursday 8 October, 1:30-2:30pm | Ethan, Gold medal, CNC Milling, National Finals.
Izzy, Medallion for Excellence, Digital Construction, Gdansk, Assistant Training Manager. Arun, Gold, Automation, National Finals. |
| Session 2: Thursday 8 October, 6:30-7:30pm | Lucy, Medallion for Excellence, Mechatronics, Lyon.
Luke, Silver medal, Refrigeration and Airconditioning, Lyon, Assistant Training Manager. Arun, Gold, Automation, National Finals. |
||
| Achieving your best | It can be daunting to compete, and our confidence can vary. If you’ve experienced this you’re not alone. Skills Champions share practical advice and experience about their confidence as a national finalists, outlining practices that helped them back their ability and achieve their best, providing insight to boost your confidence and overcome doubts. | Session 1: Tuesday 13 October 1:30-2:30pm | Kerris, Silver medal, Industrial Electronics, National Finals.
Chris, Silver, Refrigeration and Airconditioning, Sao Paulo. Josh, Laboratory Technician, National Finals. |
| Session 2: Tuesday 13 October, 6:30-7:30pm | Lewis, Medallion for Excellence, Web technologies, Goyang.
Kerris, Silver medal, Industrial Electronics, National Finals. Josh, Laboratory Technician, National Finals. |
||
| Beyond the competition
|
Competitions are a mechanism for growth and development, and this session will inspire you to embrace every outcome as a stepping stone towards growth and success. Meet Skills Champions who are excelling in their careers post competition and discover how to frame and celebrate your experience, achievements and successes to your advantage. | Session 1: Wednesday 4 November 1:30-2:30pm
|
Tom, Electrical Installation, National Finalist and Assistant Training Manager
Dan, Gold medal, Digital Construction, National Finals and Assistant Training Manager Tonicha, Medallion for Excellence, Laboratory Technician, Kazan |
| Session 2: Wednesday 4 November, 6:30-7:30pm | Ana, Bronze medal, Laboratory technician, National Finals.
Tom, Electrical Installation, National Finalist and Assistant Training Manager. |
Please note for competitors under 18, if we have not already received a consent form from your parent or guardian for you to participate in competition activity, we will need their consent to enable you to attend these sessions.