Date:18/06/2009
GOLDEN SUCCESS: Northern Ireland apprentices Patrick Gillian who works for Fivemiletown Creamery and Roy Hitching, who works for FG Wilson, have scooped gold at the National Mechatronics final, held in Middlesex University. This competition has been designed for competitors working or studying in the manufacturing and automation industry. The two competitors fended off stiff competition from 5 other teams from across the UK. Also successful at the competition were apprentices Daniel Latimer, who works for FG Wilson, and Fergal Doherty, who works for Schrader Electronics who scooped the bronze medal. These competitors will now have the opportunity to compete to be part of the team that will represent the UK at the WorldSkills competition in 2011 which is being hosted by the UK in London.
The competition is supported by UK Skills, the Sector Skills Council SEMTA (represented in Northern Ireland by the Engineering Training Council) and the Department for Employment and Learning.
Who is who from Northern Ireland?
Patrick Gillian – Patrick works for Fivemiletown Creamery in Co. Tyrone, a maker of specialist cheeses.
He has an NVQ Level 3 in Maintenance Engineering and is doing an HNC in Operations Engineering at Belfast Metropolitan College. Patrick was ETC Maintenance Apprentice of the Year and DEL Overall Apprentice of the
Year for 2008.
Roy Hitching – Roy works for F G Wilson which is part of the Caterpillar Group and
manufactures generators at a number of sites in Northern Ireland. He is working towards an NVQ Level 3 in Engineering and finishing off the second year of a National Certificate in Engineering at Belfast Metropolitan College.
Patrick and Roy were the winning team at the NI Mechatronics competition held at Northern Regional College in March 2009.
Fergal Doherty – Fergal is employed as a Maintenance Technician for Schrader Electronics, based at the
Headquarters in Antrim. Schrader Electronics are the world leaders in Digital Remote Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems. He has an NVQ Level 3 in Engineering and is completing an HND in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Northern Regional College in Ballymena.
Daniel Latimer – Daniel is undertaking an apprenticeship at F G Wilson. He has achieved NVQ Level 3 and is
working towards HND in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Belfast Metropolitan College.
Fergal and Daniel were members of the runner-up teams at the NI Mechatronics competition held at Northern Regional College.