Oisin McKerr (22) from Lurgan is set to compete on the international stage of the ‘Skills Olympics’ next month. Oisin, Team UK’s representative will compete in the automotive paint respraying category at the global WorldSkills competition in Shanghai from 22-27 September 2026.
Oisin, a paint resprayer by profession at Porters Bodyshop in Portadown, originally got involved within the competition sphere through a conversation with his then Southern Regional College (SRC) car paint respraying lecturer David Fairley. Oisin says:
“I first got into the competition side of painting back when I was at SRC and I said to David that I’d love to get involved. So, David put me forward to do the national competition and ever since then it’s progressed from there.”
This national competition first saw Oisin win a gold medal in 2023 on his debut appearance, earning him a place in Team UK's development squad for Shanghai the following year. Since then, he has completed an intensive 18-month training programme alongside three other young car resprayers before being selected in April this year as Team UK's sole representative in the category.
Since his selection, Oisin has taken part in a series of "pressure tests" against competitors from other countries, knowing that in Shanghai he will compete against rivals whose sole focus is training for WorldSkills.
Going into Shanghai, Oisin is chasing ‘gold’ medal success once more. Oisin said:
"I've always wanted to be the best. It might be my competitive nature, but it pushes me to keep improving. Winning the UK gold medal and earning my place on Team UK took a huge amount of hard work, it certainly wasn't handed to me.”
"When I get to Shanghai, I'm aiming for the top spot. I'm going there to compete with the best in the world, and I don't want to settle for anything less."
He knows the competition will be fierce.
"WorldSkills demands excellence. Every detail matters and the standard expected goes beyond everyday industry practice. You have to give everything you've got."
Preparing for WorldSkills is like sitting any exam; studying and practising techniques repeatedly, while never knowing exactly what challenge or curveball will be thrown at you on the day.
While Oisin’s focus remains firmly fixed on the Shanghai ‘Skills Olympics’, he still finds time to indulge in his love of cars. He is currently building a vehicle that will be showcased at Birmingham's Gravity Show later this month.
Watch Oisin describe his skills journey
