Part of the National Apprenticeship Service

TeamUK Results 2011

5 Gold
2 Silver
6 Bronze

Biography

David Russell

Northern Ireland
Skill: 
Mechatronics
Home Town: 
Ballymena, County Antrim
Employer: 
Northern Regional College
FESTO.jpg

 

Qualifications: 

MSc Electronics & Signal Processing
BEng (Hons) Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Advanced Diploma in Education (FE)
M.C.G.I,
Internal Assessor and Verifier Awards

Other training: 

FESTO Advanced Mechatronics
Siemens S7 Programming
Interview Training award

Are you City & Guilds qualified?: 
Yes
What involvement have you had with competitions?: 

Hosting and managing Northern Ireland Mechatronics feeder competitions in 2009 and 2010. I was also a training manager for UKSkills Mechatronics National finalists – 2009 (1st & 3rd), 2010 (2nd & 3rd).

Mechatronics UK Training Manager/Expert for EuroSkills 2010

Who would you like to thank for their support?: 

I would like to thank the following:
Northern Regional College
Head of School (Engineering & Science) – Dr Brian Hill
Department for Employment and Learning (Northern Ireland)

What made you take on this role?: 

The desire to enhance and develop personal technical skills and to promote Mechatronics as a career path for students/trainees.

Why do you think WorldSkills is important?: 

It provides a platform to permit young people to benchmark their skills against the best in the world.

What do you enjoy most about your role?: 

Contributing to the development of competitors’ personal and technical skills.

How are you using this experience in your workplace?: 

To encourage other staff and students to contribute to skills competitions.

What do you think being part of this process does for young people?: 

It inspires commitment and enthusiasm towards improving personal and technical skills.

What sets a WS competitor apart from your average young person?: 

They possess the ambition to excel in their chosen career path and gain continuous professional development.

What would be your message to industry about entering future competitions?: 

Raise the profile of your apprenticeship programme and workforce on a National and International scale.

What impact will WorldSkills London 2011 have on your industry?: 

It will increase awareness of the skill base of Mechatronics technicians and engineers who are an essential component of modern technologically-equipped manufacturing companies.

What are your personal achievements: 

Becoming a Senior Lecturer – Further & Higher Education Engineering & Science manager.

Something we didn’t know about you...: 

I enjoy the sport of clay pigeon shooting.