Hot on the heels of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, a young engineer from the UK is aiming to fly the flag at the 'Skills Olympics' in France, with continued backing from Fujitsu General Air Conditioning UK.
Luke Haile, a refrigeration technician from Lightfoot Defence, will represent the UK at WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon (10-15 September) on equipment supplied by Fujitsu in France, having completed his training on similar kit donated by Fujitsu in the UK.
UK-RACHPSkills UK gold medal
The former apprentice, from Hampshire, won the WorldSkills UK-RACHPSkills UK gold medal in 2022, when Fujitsu was the headline sponsor of the event. That victory earned him the right to compete at WorldSkills 2024, known as the 'Skills Olympics'.
Fujitsu has maintained its relationship with Luke Haile and continued to offer support by providing equipment
In keeping with their efforts to help develop the next generation of engineers, Fujitsu has maintained its relationship with Luke Haile and continued to offer support by providing equipment for him to train on, under the guidance of Mark Forsyth, a WorldSkills UK Training Manager and Owner of Coriolis International.
Sponsorship and access to experts
Luke Haile said, "Fujitsu General Air Conditioning has supported my WorldSkills journey from the very beginning. Its sponsorship during the early stages encouraged not only me, but also other young and up-and-coming engineers."
He adds, "Fujitsu’s backing extended far beyond sponsorship; offering me access to their technical experts and a wide range of advanced equipment to train on, as well as onsite visits. This invaluable support has not only sharpened my skills, but also shaped me into becoming a better engineer. I am deeply grateful and am certain the friendships forged will extend beyond the WorldSkills final."
Air conditioning and heat pump training
Martyn Ives, Commercial Director, Fujitsu General Air Conditioning UK, said, "Fujitsu is extremely proud of its efforts to help improve standards across the air conditioning and heat pump sectors. We have formed partnerships with several colleges across the UK and we are delighted to have been able to help Luke on his way to Lyon."
He adds, "We donated a wall-mounted split system for Luke to train on and hopefully that training will help him to prove his worth against the best young engineers from around the world."
Technical and vocational education
Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, of WorldSkills UK, said, "We are extremely grateful for the continued support from Fujitsu towards Luke’s training program for WorldSkills Lyon 2024 and for our National Finals, which will take place in Greater Manchester in November."
He adds, "We couldn’t be prouder of Luke and Team UK; they are fantastic role models. We will use their participation at WorldSkills to boost the prestige of technical and vocational education, inspiring many more young people to take up technical and vocational training across the UK."
WorldSkills UK
WorldSkills UK, a four-nation partnership between education, industry, and UK governments, is responsible for selecting, mentoring, and training Team UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024. Pearson, the major learning company is the official partner of Team UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024.
WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will host over 1500 young people from 65 countries, who will compete in 62 different skill disciplines.
