Bright spark Yordan Tomov has been named WorldSkills UK best electrician in the South of England.
The 24-year-old was thrilled after scooping a gold medal in the National Qualifiers of the Construction and Infrastructure competition.
WorldSkills UK is the country’s largest skills, apprenticeships and careers event and aims to inspire young people to develop world class skills.
Yordan’s win means he will now have the opportunity to go on and compete in the National Finals at Birmingham NEC in November.
For the National Qualifier, Yordan had to completely build and test three electrical boards and circuits in five hours against three other competitors, which were then inspected by a panel of expert judges.
“I couldn’t believe I had won. It took a whole day to sink in,” said Yordan.
“The competition was exciting and the pressure was on to complete the projects in a limited time, but I felt well prepared and was confident I would finish.”
Yordan is completing an Apprenticeship in Electrical Installation at R&I Electrical Services in Tottenham with the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL).
He said: “I’m enjoying my Apprenticeship. Every day is different and there are new problems to solve. I’ve gained a lot of experience, and grateful to my employer and tutors.
“Having this competition on my CV is a big step and could really give me the edge.”
CONEL offers a wide range of Construction courses and apprenticeships in Bricklaying, Carpentry and Joinery Plumbing and Electrical Installation.
Derek Munro, Lecturer in Electrical Installation, said: “Yordan has been a keen and enthusiastic learner who has worked hard during his Apprenticeship, and has shown he has the skills and expertise to succeed as an electrician.
“He performed brilliantly in the WorldSkills UK competition and I would like to congratulate him on his achievement and reaching the National Finals.”
Yordan is one of three entrants from the College taking part in WorldSkills UK competitions this year.
Hairdressing Apprentice Wanessa Carvalho, 28, is competing in the Hospitality and Lifestyle competition, while ICT and Computing student Qilong Li, 22, is hoping to win in the IT and Enterprise competition