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Students Set Sights on Calgary for 2009
Askham Bryan College Landscape students Andy Lewis, Grant Finch, Oliver Bage and Sam Walker preparing for the UK Skills Competition.
Oliver Bage and Grant Finch were chosen to compete for a place in the UK squad of landscape students who will be taken to Calgary for the World Skills Final in September 2009.
The 17-year-olds, both students at Askham Bryan College, won through to Skills London 2008 which took place in London from 20 – 23 November. The event, which is the UK’s biggest careers event for 14 to 19-year-olds, hosted one of a series of national competitions designed to pick the country’s top landscape students.
Oliver, whose home is in York, is taking an Intermediate Diploma in Landscape Construction whilst Grant, who lives in Scarborough, is completing an NVQ Level 2 in Amenity and Decorative Horticulture. They were pitted against other students from across the country for a place in the UK squad. As well as competing individually at Skills London 2008, the pair will took part in team events, and were be judged on their ability to build a garden, including a natural water feature, a dry stone wall, planting, bespoke timber fencing and a pergola.
Harry Turner, Askham Bryan’s Landscaping Manager and UK World Skills Training Manager, explained that six students would be chosen from a total of 12 to form the UK team – and competition for a place in the squad was fierce.
"Twelve students from across the country are competing for six places. Throughout the year they have been taking part in regional and national competitions to get to this stage. Once six have been selected, they then go through another series of competitions, training and assessments before two are chosen to compete in Canada next year.
"It is very much like the Olympics – the landscaping students are like athletes. Their diet is analysed, also their weight, and how they focus – an awful lot of work goes in to ensuring we take the right two to the World skills competition," he said.
Last year, two Askham Bryan students were chosen as the UK team when the World Skills Final, which takes place every two years, was held in Japan. The pair narrowly missed the top honours. The final attracts 850 young people drawn from over 45 countries who test themselves against international standards in key skills and technologies. It is held every two years, and as with the Olympics, the competitors represent their countries and aim for Gold, Silver or Bronze medals.
Postscript
Special congratualtions to Grant Finch. It has now been announced that he has been selected to go forward to the next round of judging. He will be training hard before the final round of the team selection process which will take place in July.