United Colleges Group (UCG) are delighted to announce that one of its students has been awarded a Medallion for Excellence at WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

Mark Kiss, from College of North West London (CNWL), part of UCG, reached the world standard mark of 700 points in his Web Technologies category to win the prestigious medallion after four days of gruelling competition from September 10-15.

The 19-year-old was selected to compete alongside 30 other Team UK members across skills disciplines including cyber security, renewable energy, digital construction, cooking, hairdressing and painting and decorating.

And Mark and his team-mates certainly didn’t disappoint! By demonstrating their world-class skills on the global stage and delivering a strong response to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s message to rebuild Britain, they were recognised as among the most skilled young people in the world by leading global industry experts.

More than 1,500 young people from 69 countries competed in 62 different skills at WorldSkills Lyon, with the event attracting around 250,000 spectators.

WorldSkills UK, a four nations partnership between education, industry and UK governments, uses the insight it gains from participating in the international WorldSkills Competition to embed world-class training standards across the UK.

Pearson, the world’s lifelong learning company is the official partner of Team UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

Stephen Davis, Group Principal and CEO, United Colleges Group, said: “United Colleges Group takes great pride in Mark’s incredible performance at WorldSkills 2024 – his achievements during the past year are fantastic and have now been recognised on a global stage.

“Mark’s hard work and aspirations are proving to be an inspiration to students across our college and we are sure more success will follow in the years ahead.”

Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, said: “As we close this incredible WorldSkills competition, I want to congratulate everyone involved. You’ve all showcased exceptional skill, dedication, and creativity, proving that the future is in capable hands.

“Everyone competing in WorldSkills has demonstrated their potential as future leaders and innovators. We want to support everyone across the country to access opportunity, no matter who they are or where they’re from.

“A big thank you to the judges, mentors, and organisers. Your efforts make this all possible. Let’s continue to put skills at the heart of our vision for Britain.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said: “This is a fantastic result for the team and the UK as a whole.

“High-quality skills development is crucial to growing the economy, and Team UK’s medal-winning performance in front of a global audience sends a strong message that the UK is a world-class place to invest, develop talent and create jobs.”