Joinery champ takes on the world

By Freya McClements
BBC News

Trevor Woods will fly the flag for Northern Ireland at the WorldSkills competition in Canada

It's often said it's hard to get a good joiner, but the people of Lack in County Fermanagh have no such worries.

Local joinery apprentice Trevor Woods is about to demonstrate his abilities on the world stage after he was selected to take part in the Worldskills championship in Calgary, Canada.

He is one of 25 young people representing the UK in everything from bricklaying to landscape gardening, cookery to floristry.

The 20-year-old is the sole representative from Northern Ireland - and he says his joinery skills will be in tip-top shape for the competition.

"They give you a drawing of what they want you to do, and they give you the right amount of timber, and there's a time limit, and away you go.

"It'll be something like an arch door or fancy stairs.

"Then the judges mark your work and that's it.

"I don't know how I'll do, but I'll do my best," said Trevor.

'Like a holiday'

The 20-year-old has just graduated from the South West Regional College in Omagh, where he had a history as a top-class joiner.

"I've been doing joinery competitions for the last two years, which were all to do with selecting the one person who can go forward to the world finals.

"All the further education colleges enter someone they think will do very well for the Northern Ireland competition, then the winner of that goes forward to a national final in England, and I was one of the nine selected.

"I'm delighted to be representing my country, and my parents are very proud of me too," he said.

No matter what the result, Trevor says, he is already a winner.

"I'll get a degree in joinery from it anyway, and some sort of letters after my name.

"I'm also looking forward to the trip to Canada, it'll be like a holiday.

"I'm already working for a company, McAleer and Teague in Dromore, so I'm looking forward to keeping on working with them," he said.

The Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey, said it was a "wonderful opportunity" for Trevor.

"I am very proud that, once again, Northern Ireland is being represented on Team UK for WorldSkills.

"The standard of vocational skills in Northern Ireland is extremely high, as evidenced by the fact that Trevor has managed to beat off the challenge of other very talented young people from across the UK, and earn his place on the Team following a tough selection process.

"Northern Ireland has an enviable record in WorldSkills, with both a gold and bronze medallist from the previous two competitions, and I wish Trevor every success in Calgary."