CATCH welcomed apprentices, employers and industry partners from across the region this week as it hosted the prestigious WorldSkills UK regional heats for Welding and Metal Fabrication.

The three-day event brought together some of the most talented apprentices in the sector, providing them with the opportunity to test their skills under pressure and compete for a place in the national stages of the competition.

The competition programme saw:

• Day One – CATCH first-year apprentices compete in the Metal Fabrication competition.
• Day Two – More than 30 external competitors attend and compete in either Metal Fabrication or Welding competitions, including several returning second and third-year CATCH apprentices.
• Day Three – CATCH first-year welding apprentices compete against one another in the Welding competition.

The event was organised by  Paul Bryant leading the Metal Fabrication competition and Stephen Haymes overseeing the Welding competition.

The competitions were supported by industry sponsors, including Miganglia and Enginuity (EAL) for Metal Fabrication, and Code A Weld and Air Products for Welding.

Industry experts also volunteered their time as judges. Metal Fabrication competitors were assessed by Paul Bryant and Paddy Oakes (EAL), while Welding competitors were judged by Clive Slocombe (Code A Weld) and Chris Porter (Air Products).

Competition Results

Day One – Metal Fabrication

1. Eddie Keeble (Frogmech / CATCH)
2. Jamie Smith (PJD / CATCH)
3. Rhys Barnsley (PJD / CATCH)

Day One – Welding

1. Alfie Ingram (P66 / CATCH)
2. Fred Sriprasoet (PJD / CATCH)
3. Harvey Meadows (GPE / North Lindsey)

Day Two – Welding

1. Charlie Farrow (EFAB / CATCH)
2. Liam Lough (Bilfinger / CATCH)
3. Jack Watson (Bilfinger / CATCH)

Joel Broddle, Head of welding and pipefitting, CATCH, said:

“Its been a pleasure to be asked to host both regional finals for World Skills in Metal Fabrication and Welding over 3 days, this week. We’ve had some incredible success with the welding competition since we started in 2023 and it’s something we are hoping continues this year along with Metal Fabrication. Competitions and World Skills is a passion of the WPH team. It gives individuals an incredible opportunity to show off their skills and potentially compete against the best in the country and the world. Its not all about winning for us, we believe the competitions are a great builder of confidence and personal development for the apprentices. Whether its applying for a job, doing a trade test or completing a coding, the pressure is there as the apprentices start their career journeys. Competing in the competitions is part of the process to improve how they cope under pressure”.

CATCH continues to champion excellence in technical skills development, providing apprentices with opportunities to gain industry-recognised experience, develop their capabilities and prepare for successful careers in the UK’s engineering, energy and manufacturing sectors.