Burnley College and WEC Group apprentice welder to represent UK at WorldSkills competition in USA

Kieran McShane, a third-year Themis Apprentice at Burnley College, is heading to America to take part in the world class vocational skills competition, where he will battle against top welders from up to 85 countries in the highly competitive Construction Metalwork category.

The 20-year-old was selected to be one of the 39 Team UK competitors after his excellent metalwork and attention to detail was noticed while he training as an Advanced Level welding apprentice at WEC Group Ltd, in nearby Darwen.

Kieran is thrilled to have been selected as part of the elite squad that will represent the UK against challengers from all over the world at the WorldSkills competition at the Lincoln Plant in Cleveland, Ohio.

He said: “I am a bit nervous but I appreciate this is such amazing opportunity. I’m busy working on my welding skills, making things that have been the tasks in previous competitions.

“Since they could ask us to make absolutely anything, there’s really no proper way to prepare but to make things, and so far I’ve fabricated a tank, and engine, just trying to work on different aspects of fabrication.

“I am looking forward to the challenge and just hope my skills are good enough to win - that would fantastic.”

For the competition, Kieran and the other competitors will be given tools and sheet metal, and will get four days to build something according to the exact plans that they won’t see until the competition begins.

Kieran is keen to surpass former Themis at Burnley College Apprentice Tyler Atkinson, who came an impressive 11th place at the previous championship, which was held in Kazan, Russia, in 2019.

Burnley College have named 2022 as the Year of the Themis Apprentice, and assistant principal Neil Burrows is delighted to have another apprentice at the world’s most prestigious vocational skills competition.

Neil said: “The commitment, determination and dedication Kieran has shown over the last two years as he has worked tirelessly towards this point is a credit to himself, his support network at WEC and his tutors and trainers in college.”

Kieran is a fifth year apprentice at specialist metal fabrication and engineering company WEC Group.