SRC Success at WorldSkills Shanghai

Competing in the category Industry 4.0, were recent SRC students Patrick Sheerin and Caolan McCartan. Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution and uses smart technology and data to automate and improve manufacturing processes. Both have foundation degrees in Mechatronics from the College with Patrick progressing to an Engineering BEng (Hons) degree, which he also obtained from the College.

This has stood the duo in good stance, with the pair winning a gold medal in the national WorldSkills UK competition in 2024, and a bronze medal at the EuroSkills Herning competition in Denmark last year.

However, success at EuroSkills didn’t automatically guarantee Patrick and Caolan a place in the team for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. After this European success Patrick and Caolan headed straight back into training with fellow Squad UK members and were announced as Team UK’s representatives for Shanghai in May. Patrick says it was ‘utter relief’ when they found out they had been selected to join Team UK once more.

Jonathan (Johnny) Gough has only recently completed his Electrical Installation qualifications, but his journey in competitive skills has been gathering momentum since the 2024 WorldSkills UK national competition.

Since then, Johnny has been competing for the opportunity to represent Team UK at WorldSkills Shanghai, going head-to-head with fellow SRC Squad UK competitor Conor McDonnell during the selection process.

Johnny is no stranger to the international stage, having previously represented Team UK at EuroSkills Herning in Denmark in September 2025. That experience provided a valuable insight into the intensity and precision required to compete against the very best young skills competitors from across Europe.

Speaking on the international Shanghai competition, Johnny said:

“The competition itself was an amazing experience. There were around 1,400 competitors from across the different skills, all showcasing their talents at the highest level. It was a privilege to be part of such a huge international event and to compete alongside some of the best young skills professionals in the world.

“I’ve been training for WorldSkills for around 18 months, initially training one week in every six before that increased to every third week as we got closer to Shanghai. There has been a huge amount of time, commitment and preparation involved, so now that the competition is over, there’s definitely a sense of relief.

“At the same time, I’m almost a bit lost now that it’s finished! You get so used to having the next training session, event or competition to prepare for. Obviously, I’ll continue to develop and maintain my skills through my day-to-day work, but I won’t necessarily be working at the same speed and intensity that you have to maintain during a competition.

“My goal now is to take everything I’ve learned from the experience, grow my business and continue building my reputation within the industry. WorldSkills has given me a great platform and I’m looking forward to seeing where I can take it from here.”

Ruth Douglas began her WorldSkills journey at the 2024 national WorldSkills UK competition, where she secured the gold medal on her debut national performance in the category Laboratory Technician.

This category involves a meticulous attention to detail, with an ability to be adaptable and quickly respond to scenarios as they arise. Since undertaking her initial foundation degree at the College within Applied Industrial Sciences, Ruth has progressed into the top-up degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Alongside Ruth throughout her WorldSkills journey has been her Training Manager, Dr Deirdre Murray, specialist lecturer in Science at SRC. Dr Murray has supported Ruth since her first national competition, pushing her to be the best version of herself, continually improving and performing at the highest possible level.

Oisin McKerr first made his mark on the WorldSkills stage when he secured gold in the Automotive Refinishing category at the 2023 WorldSkills UK national final.

While Automotive Refinishing, or Car Painting, involves the application of paint to vehicles, the skill requires far more than simply achieving a high-quality paint finish. Competitors must identify, repair and prevent surface defects before producing a flawless and virtually invisible finish.

The discipline also demands precision and creativity, with competitors required to apply seamless decals using geometry skills and carefully mask multiple colours to achieve the required result.

Since being opted into Squad UK two years ago, Oisin’s has described his journey as being ‘intense’. There’s been multiple nights and weekends of specialist training, but it has been all worth it to make it to Shanghai.

Oisin travelled to Shanghai with high ambitions. His determination to continually improve and strive to be the best has been a driving force throughout his WorldSkills journey. His bronze medal in Shanghai is a significant achievement, reflecting his ever expanding skillset throughout the competition process.