Harry, from Solihull, is on a mission. He’s determined to prove that the UK is a global power in joinery at the ‘skills Olympics’ when he competes this September.
The 21 year old, who runs his own business HDS Joinery in the West Midlands, brought back a Medallion of Excellence when he was chosen by WorldSkills UK to compete at EuroSkills Gdansk in 2023. “It was fantastic to be named one of the best joiners in Europe, but I’m aiming for a place on the medal podium at WorldSkills Lyon 2024.”
A childhood passion for building things led to Harry studying an Architectural Bench Joinery apprenticeship at Level 2 and Level 3 at Solihull College. He got involved in SkillBuild / WorldSkills UK Competitions while working as an apprentice in 2022 and describes his first competition experience as his most ‘difficult’ because he hadn’t fully realised what was expected but he loved every minute. Two years later, he still gets a buzz from competitions and has recently returned from competing in Switzerland and China as part of his training for WorldSkills Lyon.
Harry is honest about the level of commitment needed, when preparing to represent your country on the world stage. He says:
“There are personal sacrifices you have to make like missing nights out with your mates, and training every spare minute you have, but the short-term pain is worth the longer-term gain.”
There will be a wealth of support for Harry in France with his family travelling out to Lyon to cheer him on. “They have been with me every step of the way and it will be fantastic to have them out at the competition with me”, explains Harry.
Although fully focused on the WorldSkills Competition, Harry is also passionate about how he will use his competition training to grow his business. He says: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m determined to do my best in Lyon. Using the skills I have learnt, I want to move into high-end bespoke joinery projects, that’s my passion and ultimate aim.”
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