World class Tameside College duo impress at WorldSkills competition

A pair of Tameside College students have won Medallions for Excellence at the 47th WorldSkills competition in Lyon.

Lucy Yelland and Ben Love were awarded the prizes for reaching World Standard while competing for the UK in the mechatronics category, which attracted 72 participants from across the globe. 

The four-day event presented a new challenge each day for the competitors, with teams working to a time limit in front of a crowd of thousands. Zili Luo of China won gold, while Korea’s Shin Jun-ho and Sohma Bando of Japan shared silver. 

Although not finishing on the podium, Lucy and Ben still received plaudits for their work. 

“WorldSkills UK has totally changed my outlook on life,” said Lucy, 22, who studies at Tameside College while working towards an Engineering Degree with her employer, Siemens. “My Training Manager Callum Knott has been hugely influential and has transformed my performance in so many ways.  

“I really thrive under pressure. The tasks set for international competitions are hugely difficult, but the sense of euphoria once you’ve successfully completed them is hugely rewarding.  

“I don’t come from an engineering background, but a family friend runs an engineering business and suggested I do some work experience, and I totally fell in love with it.” 

21-year-old Ben from Worsley, meanwhile, has now completed his apprenticeship and has his eyes set on the future after also taking home Medallions for Excellence with Lucy at EuroSkills in Gdansk last year. 

“I’ve always been fascinated by automation, which is a key aspect of my work at Siemens,” he said. “During my BTEC, I focused on programmable logic control and programming units—skills directly applicable to the WorldSkills competition. This education provided me with many transferable skills. 

“Being selected is a testament to all the hard work I’ve put in from the beginning. It’s a huge relief and a sense of pride, not only in competing but also in representing my country. It feels like a privilege, and I’m aware that such opportunities are rare.” 

Jackie Moores, Tameside College’s principal and CEO heaped praise on the talented teammates after the competition. 

“Lucy and Ben continue to represent Tameside College to the highest of standards. The World Skills finals are extremely competitive, and they have been recognised by the judges as reaching an impressive world standard.  

“We are incredibly proud of their performance and look forward to welcoming them back to college with their latest award.”