Held every two years, the WorldSkills Competition is the largest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world.

The competitors represent the best of their peers and are selected from skills competitions held in member countries and regions. The technical abilities demonstrated both individually and collectively to execute specific tasks are rigorously tested and measured.

A sponsor of the competition, Starrett has supplied a comprehensive set of measuring equipment that contestants and mentors are using to check and prove their abilities.

Head of furniture studies at Chichester College, Christian Notley is also WorldSkills UK training manager for cabinet making. He explains that the competition is the world’s largest professional education event.

“Competitors from the UK will face entrants from over 60 countries and regions in North and South America, Europe, Asia, South Pacific and Africa. They will take on similar challenges that professionals in their chosen discipline would encounter. They will be measured and must meet international standards of quality if they are to finish in a medal position, or even win.”

Supporting the cabinet making, carpentry and joinery skill entrants the high quality measuring equipment supplied by Starrett is worth several thousand Pounds. It includes 300mm combination set with square, centre and reversible protractor heads and regular blades; 150mm electronic digital calipers; 175mm and 300mm Pro Site protractors; steel square sets; 173MCT mm reading thickness gauge with tapered leaves ranging from 0.03 to 0.50 mm thickness; Starrett 59A trammel heads; 1m steel rule, and long range 1m electronic digital calipers.

WorldSkills has been established to be more than a competition. By working within the six key areas of research, skills promotion, career building, education and training, international co-operation and development, and skills competitions, WorldSkills is the global hub for skills excellence and development with ongoing activities nationally, regionally and globally.

It also provides leaders in industry, government and education with the opportunity to exchange information and best practices regarding industry and professional education. “Through WorldSkills we can embrace new ideas and processes that inspire school-aged youths to dedicate themselves to technical and technological careers,” concludes Christian Notley.