Moreton Morrell College florist set to represent UK in Europe

 Moreton Morrell College (@MoretonColWCG) floristry student Hannah Beckley has been selected to take on the crème de la crème of Europe.

Hannah Beckley, who works for Silver Birch Bouquets in Evesham, Worcestershire, will join 13 of the UK’s best young apprentices and professionals to represent Team UK at EuroSkills.

The team has been selected and mentored by education and skills charity WorldSkills UK. The members will be heading to Austria from January 6 to 10 to compete with more than 500 competitors from 28 countries who practice 45 different skills and disciplines including floristry.

The competition in Graz, which was postponed due to the Covid crisis, is seen as an important indicator as to how the UK’s skills systems measure up against key economic competitors across Europe.

Hannah is being trained and mentored by Laura Leong, WorldSkills UK Training Manager and former tutor at Moreton Morrell College. Moreton Morrell College is part of WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group).

She has already been through an exhaustive year-long process of regional competition, national finals and team selection to get to this point.

Now she faces months of intensive training raising standards to elite international level, under the guidance of Laura.

Hannah said:

“I am totally honoured to be selected to represent the UK at EuroSkills. Training in lockdown hasn’t been easy but we have adapted our preparations and I’m so excited to be representing the country at EuroSkills.

“Silver Birch and Moreton Morrell College have been really supportive, and I can’t wait to get out to Austria and compete.”

Laura Leong, former tutor at Moreton Morrell College and WorldSkills UK Training Manager, added:

“Preparation for EuroSkills hasn’t been easy, but Hannah has been totally committed to her training.

“At international competition, and at work, being smart and confident in your timing and processes is the key to success and I know that Hannah will deliver a performance at EuroSkills that we can all be proud of. She is a great ambassador for our industry.”

Governments and industry will be watching with interest to benchmark how well Team UK performs compared to the country’s main European competitors.  At the previous EuroSkills finals, held in 2018 in Budapest, Team UK finished ninth.

WorldSkills UK will use its participation in the EuroSkills Finals to direct the work of its Centre of Excellence, in partnership with NCFE, which utilises WorldSkills UK’s unique insights into European and global skills systems to mainstream excellence in skills development.  

Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE, CEO of World Skill UK, said:

“Forget the Euros next season, this is going to be epic, and far more fundamental to the future of our country – demonstrating the next generation is developing the skills we need to help build back better our economy and remain internationally competitive.

“There has been so much conjecture as to how the United Kingdom will fare in terms of skills performance. The competition with 27 of our near neighbours across the continent will be a brilliant benchmark and show what Team UK is made of.

“Congratulations to Hannah and I wish her and Laura the best of luck with their training for EuroSkills.”