Southern Regional College (SRC) Apprentice students Zak Livingston (18) and Joshua Kerr (21), both from Portadown, have competed in the national qualifiers for WorldSkills UK. Both students were selected to participate at the qualifiers after successfully progressing through competition entry stages.
The qualifiers, which took place from 18–22 May at the Eyebox Training and Conference Centre in Coventry, saw the top 18 competitors from across the UK put their trade skills to the test in a bid to secure a place at the WorldSkills UK National Finals in the Automotive Paint Refinishing and Body Repair categories. The National Finals are due to take place in Wales during the week commencing 16 November 2026. Results from the qualifiers are expected in mid-July, with the top six competitors in each category progressing to the finals.
Zak, a second-year Accident Repair Body Principles Level 2 Apprenticeship student at SRC's Portadown campus, competed in the Body Repair category. Zak currently undertakes his apprenticeship with Porters Bodyshop in Portadown. Over the course of the regional qualifiers, he completed five challenging tasks, including repairing a damaged metal-finished panel, MAG welding, panel alignment adjustment, resistance spot welding, and applying a sealer to achieve a factory-standard finish.
Fellow apprentice Joshua, who is undertaking a Level 3 Vehicle Accident Repair Paint Principles Apprenticeship at the College and with employer Wrights Accident Repair, Dunmurry, competed in the Automotive Refinishing category. His competition tasks included panel preparation for painting, paint fault rectification, colour matching, plastic panel repair, and identifying a spray gun defect, all designed to assess his technical knowledge and practical ability.
The College’s Portadown campus has seen significant success at WorldSkills UK National competitions in recent years. Recent students Jack Harvison and Oisin McKerr achieved gold medals in 2025 and 2023 in the automotive paint refinishing category, with Ben Robertson also receiving a silver medal in paint refinishing at the 2024 finals. Since his 2023 gold medal, Oisin McKerr has since been selected to Squad UK and will represent the UK at the global WorldSkills competition in Shanghai this September.
Success has also been achieved in the Body Repair category, with student Joe Cullen achieving a bronze medal in the recent 2025 national finals. Building on this strong track record, it is hoped that this year’s crop of students’ go on to experience similar success.
David Fairley, Paint Refinishing and Body Panel Lecturer at Southern Regional College commented:
“"We're really proud of Zak and Joshua for reaching this stage of the competition. Being selected for the WorldSkills UK qualifiers is a significant achievement in itself and reflects the hard work, commitment and skill they have shown throughout their apprenticeships. Competitions like this give students the opportunity to challenge themselves against some of the best young talent from across the UK and gain valuable experience that will benefit them throughout their careers. We look forward to seeing how they progress and wish them every success as they await the results.”
