Twelve of the industry’s brightest young talents will battle it out over three days (24-26 June) in front of a live audience of visitors to the show at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for six places in November’s final.
The competition is organised by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and is part of the world’s largest skills showcase for apprentice talent. It is sponsored by the UK’s largest F-Gas register, REFCOM, and leading heat pump technology provider Baxi.
The qualifying event, which is also supported by the industry’s umbrella body ACRIB (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board), will test the apprentices’ skills in real-life scenarios including fault finding/diagnosis, fabrication, and the service and maintenance of technical equipment as well as everyday skills like time management and organisation.
They will be required to complete two tasks, each lasting two and a half hours. One will involve the replacement of components and electrical testing, and the other will focus on refrigeration pipework fabrication.
The full list of 12 competitors can be found here, along with the judging panel, who will assess them in action, comprising experts from AE Refrigeration, Beijer Ref, Bitzer, Danfoss, Mapel Mechanical, RACHP School, and TESCO.
The top six will go forward to compete for bronze, silver, and gold medals at the UK final in Wales this November. Competitors under 21 at the time of the final and who score above average will also be considered for the UK’s international squad preparing to compete at the 2028 Skills Olympics in Aichi, Japan.
“This will be an amazing and potentially life-changing experience for all 12 of these impressive apprentices,” said BESA’s technical director, Kevin Morrissey. “Demonstrating your skills in front of a live audience and a high-calibre judging panel may be a bit daunting, but they will all benefit from the experience.
“We are all working hard to find solutions to the industry’s wider skills shortage, so giving young people a platform and celebrating talent in high-profile competitions is more important than ever.”
WorldSkills involves more than 80 countries and is a partnership between the education sector, businesses, and governments. It was established over 60 years ago as a means of helping young people develop through competition-based training, assessment, and benchmarking, thereby supporting economic growth and creating employment opportunities.
Ben Blackledge, chief executive of WorldSkills UK, said that taking part in the competition “can be a life-changing experience that develops crucial skills and boosts future earnings”.
“Our competitions develop the personal and technical skills that employers are looking for in new recruits. I would encourage everyone to have a look at the many options available and sign up to compete.”
He added that 87% of previous entrants said taking part had improved their technical knowledge, and 79% had developed better personal and employability skills.
“The STEM agenda is as relevant today as it has ever been,” added Baxi UK and Ireland managing director Jan Rijnan. “We need talented young engineers to help us in this critical transition to clean heat and hot water, and for them to realise this sector offers a fantastic and meaningful career opportunity.
“These 12 competitors are great ambassadors for our cause, and I’m proud to be associated with such a talented and inspiring group of young professionals.”
For more details, visit the BESA WorldSkills Competition page.