Hartlepool College of Further Education graduate Richard McKie was congratulated this week by Iain Wright MP as the College marks National College Week by celebrating Richard’s success in the prestigious World Skills UK Awards.

Richard 22, who works for the power and process giant AMEC is a member of a three man team alongside colleagues from Wilton and Chester, which has been successful in winning the Northern heat of the UK Manufacturing Team Challenge. They are now through to the national final to be held in Coventry in January, where they will complete a sophisticated renewables energies project. If successful and the team are confident, they will go through to represent the UK next year in the Manufacturing discipline at Worldskills in Calgary Canada competing against teams from Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Finland, Brazil, France, The Netherlands and South Korea.

Richard, who lives in Seaton Carew is excited about the prospect “I am really looking forward to the finals in January, and I am confident our team can do it”, “We have some extensive training before the finals, and I’ve had fantastic support from the College in advanced CNC and CAM work”. Mr Wright congratulated Richard on his success saying “Hartlepool can be proud pf the incredible standard achieved by Richard and his team. Skills have never been more important, Richard is a fine ambassador for the College and the town”.