Magenta Living apprentice announced as national finalist in the WorldSkills UK competition
Luke Turner, Apprentice Joiner at Magenta Living, has been announced as a finalist in the prestigious WorldSkills UK competition.
He will now compete in the national finals from 9-19 November, having been selected as one of the top performers in his chosen skills of carpentry from national qualifiers held across the UK. Luke will attend the final with his fellow student Michael Kier, who is a finalist for welding.
Luke is one of only seven students across the UK to secure a place in the final for carpentry. The 21-year-old started studying at Wirral Met College on a Level 2 Bench Joinery Diploma in 2020 and progressed onto his apprenticeship at Magenta Living in January 2021. Luke spends one day a week at the college’s world-class Wirral Waters campus and four days a week at Magenta Living, undertaking a variety of joinery projects and learning from his colleagues.
Luke said: “The national qualifiers were tough, I had six hours to design and build a small-scale roof, but I was pretty confident with what I was doing because of the training from my Wirral Met tutor and the practical experience I have received at Magenta Living. I’m very grateful to all the lads at Magenta Living who have put their own time and effort into helping me with the competition.
“I was in the Lake District when I heard the news that I had made it to the national final. My tutor called me and said ‘Congratulations, you’ve made it through to the national final’ I was like, wow that’s crazy! It was great news. I’m excited to see what the next round holds.”
Haydn Hansford, Assistant Director of Building Services at Magenta Living said: “We are so proud of Luke for reaching the final of the WorldSkills UK competition. Luke has worked extremely hard and is a reliable and dedicated member of our Building Services Team.
“Our partnership with Wirral Met College is extremely valuable to us and allows us to give local students, like Luke, the opportunity to learn and gain more practical experience through an apprenticeship.
“We wish Luke all the very best for the finals, we know he is more than capable of winning!”
Sue Higginson, Principal at Wirral Met College said: “I am so proud of Luke and Michael who are great examples of young students who demonstrate through hard work and dedication to learning, that they are fit for the world stage. It is also a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff team that has nurtured their talent.
“Wirral Met College is a WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence, which evidences our college’s standing and standards in the many industrial sectors we serve. WorldSkills UK competitions provide our students with the opportunity to showcase themselves against the very best in the country, with the opportunity to be crowned national skills champions and take home gold, silver or bronze.”
The finalists will now compete to be crowned winners at a ceremony hosted by Steph McGovern from her Packed Lunch studio on Friday 26th November.