Fas apprentices out for more gold medals

Twenty Irish contestants are flying out from Dublin airport today to take part in the World Skills Competition in Helsinki.

Next week, the Irish Fás apprentices will represent the State in competitions such as welding, plumbing, bricklaying, beauty therapy, cooking and restaurant service.

The two women and 18 men will compete against 630 apprentices from 43 other countries. Fás has been preparing the apprentices for the four-day test of theory and application.

The World Skills Competition is held every second year and Irish entrants have always fared well. In the last competition in Switzerland, the Irish team brought home two gold medals in metal fabrication and automobile technology. They also won two silver medals and 11 diplomas of excellence.

IRISH TEAM:

WELDING: Matthew Brereton (Meath); JOINERY: Conor Cahill (Sligo); CNC Machines: Karl Corry (Donegal); MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (CADD): John Doyle (Carlow); PAINTING/DECORATING: Fergal Feehely (Cork); INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS: Darren Kavanagh (Wicklow); GRAPHIC DESIGN: Seán Kearney (Dublin); ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS: Michael Kinsella (Wexford); RESTAURANT SERVICE: Sinéad Leacy (Wexford); CABINET MAKING: Thomas Lynch (Cavan); PLUMBING: Mark McGlanaghey (Donegal); COOKING: Gerard Molloy (Monaghan); CARPENTRY: Donal O'Connor (Wicklow); POLYMECHANICS/ AUTOMATION: Gordon O'Donovan (Limerick); BEAUTY THERAPY: Patricia Orpen (Waterford); BRICKLAYING: Gavin O'Sullivan (Wexford); REFRIGERATION: Alan Parr (Cavan); INDUSTRIAL CONTROL: Seán Stack (Kerry); SHEET CONSTRUCTION STEELWORK: Robert Stapleton (Dublin) AUTOMOBILE TECHNOLOGY: Ross Watson (Donegal).