Haydn won a coveted gold medal representing Team UK in Aircraft Maintenance at WorldSkills Kazan 2019.
Haydn began competing in WorldSkills UK National Competitions during the last year of his apprenticeship at Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. He beat the UK’s top aeronautical engineering apprentices to win a silver medal at WorldSkills UK LIVE in 2017 and a gold medal at WorldSkills Kazan 2019.
An international high flyer
Thanks to his Training Manager, Martin Yates, Haydn has developed his skills to world-class standards. As the WorldSkills International Chief Expert for Aircraft Maintenance, Martin has the experience and expertise to give Haydn a vital competitive edge. This includes taking Haydn to experience how other countries train their apprentices by visiting WorldSkills nations such as Russia and Brazil to train with their competitors.
Winning a silver medal at the WorldSkills Russia National Finals was a particular highlight and was great practice for WorldSkills Kazan 2019 later that year.
“It’s really useful to see how other competitors train and learn how I can best cope with the pressures of international competition,” he says. “When I wasn’t abroad training, I worked with my Training Manager in the UK most weeks in the lead up to the International Finals. My previous employer Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group also allowed me to use its facilities to make sure my I can practice my skills in a real-life environment.”
Developing skills for life
Haydn has recently finished his apprenticeship and started a full-time degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Nottingham.
“My apprenticeship and training for WorldSkills UK has helped me at the beginning of my degree,” he says. “Most of my classmates are coming straight from doing A-Levels and so I’m much further ahead in terms of real-life industry knowledge and skills. After WorldSkills Kazan 2019, I hope to finish my degree and continue to hone my world-class skills in the aerospace industry.”
My training has covered everything from the basics of aircraft maintenance to strategies for coping with the pressures of competition. I’ve learnt how to apply my skills strategically and I’ve had the opportunity to learn from WorldSkills international competitors, too.
