LUKE SHERWOOD NAMED NATIONAL CHAMPION

Nineteen-year-old Luke Sherwood, a Level 3 Fabrication Apprentice, has been named as the national champion of Construction Metalwork at the UKSkills competition, recently held at Birmingham NEC, and is now waiting to hear if he has made it through to the UK Team which could see him competing in Abu Dhabi in 2017.

Luke lives in Wrawby  and decided to train for an Apprenticeship through the Grimsby Institute, having secured a job as a Vehicle Bodybuilder and Fabricator with his employer, G Broughton & Sons. Hardworking Luke initially gaining a Saturday job with the company following a weeks work placement while he was still at school.

Luke said: “I was approached by the tutors at the Institute who asked if I wanted to compete. I’m quite a competitive person and I really wanted to do it. The Regional Heat was held at the Centre for the Assessment of Technical Competence – Humber (CATCH) and when I found out I’d got through to the final I had about eight weeks to prepare. I would sometimes stay behind and do extra work with the tutors to help me get ready.”During the Regional Heat Luke was tasked with creating the base for a model crane in 7 ½ hours and for the final the task was to complete the crane with the arm and rig in 14 hours. Luke was also invited to attend a Masterclass, held for the competitors by the Head Judge, which gave them tips on how to be successful at the Final. There were a lot of skills involved like being able to read and understand the drawings and marking out. I then had to fold the metal and use welding skills to finish the job off. The hardest part for me was the thermal cutting, because it had to be so neat, and then working to such fine tolerances within the time constraints.”

“It was an amazing experience. Without the Institute none of this would have happened, the tutors have really helped me a lot and even stayed back and worked extra hours to help me, teaching me things that I didn’t know, and that’s what helped me do so well. I feel really proud to be number one.”

N.F. ADDS: Brigg and North Lincolnshire Councillor Nigel Sherwood's family and Luke's friends must be very proud of his achievement.