SkillPIPE 2011 crowns a winner
23 Sep 2011
Twenty-year old Joe Ogle from Bailey Building Services has been named the 2011 SkillPIPE UK national champion after three days of intense practical competition at Leeds College of Building. The finalists’ task was to cut, thread, weld and install pipework with temperature controls, commissioning valves and a circulating pump, all to a high standard and tight specification. The whole installation was then scrutinised and pressure tested by industry experts who marked the competitors on their work.
Joe beat five other competitors to take the gold medal after judges scored him most highly against strict criteria including measuring and marking out, welding quality, threading quality, pipework installation and soundness, material usage, overall presentation of installation, and health and safety.
The competition, which has the HVCA as its premier sponsor, awarded silver and bronze places to Joe McNally (Bailey Building Services) and Dean Cameron (Express Heating Co) respectively. Colin Webster of Spie Matthew Hall also received a Highly Commended award for an excellent performance.
All the finalists received free membership to the Institute of Welding, a framed certificate, a medallion of participation, a selection of tools from sponsors BSS, Rigid and Monument Tools, an iPod shuffle from sponsors Durapipe and a training voucher from the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies. Joe won an iPod docking station donated by BSS, membership to the Institute of Welding and also received £300 cash, a trophy from SummitSkills and a gold medal from WorldSkills UK. Joe will receive the coveted SummitSkills Award for Excellence for the Heating and Ventilating Operative of the Year category, which will be presented at WorldSkills London at ExCeL London on 7 October 2011.
Speaking after his win, Joe said: “Just taking part has been a brilliant experience, but to be named the winner as well has just made my day. It’s good to know that your work is to a high standard, as throughout the competition you never know how well you’re doing. I think I’ve developed a lot over the last three days and I’d like to thank Bailey Building Services for all their support.”
Neil Collishaw of SummitSkills, organiser of the competition, said: “Just watching these talented people compete has been fantastic. Aside from their obvious technical skills I’ve been particularly impressed by the conduct and professionalism of the competitors – they are a credit to their families and an asset to their employers.
"Judges were particularly impressed by Joe’s high quality of work, efficient use of all tools and equipment and his excellent welding ability.”
Next year’s SkillPIPE competition will open for entries in November 2011. For more information contact SummitSkills on 01908 303972 or visit
www.skillpipe.org.uk
ENDS
