Ever imagined hairdressers at dawn or pistons at 20 paces? You won't need to for much longer as the WorldSkills games – an Olympic-type event – is set to take over the capital in 2011. London beat Sweden and Australia to host the £22m vocation-fest.
Around 40 nations will be taking part in the event, which is aimed at raising the profile of skills training. The 40 different skills on the roster include everything from car mechanics to bricklaying to tradition roofing. Welding will never have looked so appealing as punters take to their benches to secure (not weld) a gold medal in recognition of their skills. Speed and accuracy will be the order of the day.
Education secretary Alan Johnson told the BBC:
We now have a unique chance, with the government, business and the education sector working closely together, to raise the status of skills and vocational education dramatically and inspire a new generation of youngsters to take up good careers in all sectors of the economy.
If your mechatronic aspirations are in danger of boiling over, hit up www.worldskills.com for more.
