Two Laois students take on the world
Ruán Murgatroyd, examiner Martin Phelan and Brian Kuehnle, all from Laois
TWO students from Laois are set to compete at WorldSkills Ireland 2025, an event that promotes apprenticeship careers, skills and workplace opportunities for young people.
Brian Kuehnle will compete in industrial mechanics and Ruán Murgatroyd in cloud computing at the contest in the RDS, Simmonscourt from 17-19 September.
Meanwhile, the examiners include Laois man Martin Phelan, scoring a WorldSkills hat-trick for the county.
Across the three days, Brian and Ruán will put their talents and knowledge to the test, when they compete against their peers on a national stage during live competitions. The duo will showcase their abilities and hope to go forward to represent Ireland in a world contest.
Students and apprentices from across the country will compete in 35 different skill areas, each working to exacting standards and under time pressure.
Over 180 finalists will go head-to-head in a range of skills-based trades, including automotive, construction, creative arts, hospitality, ICT, manufacturing and engineering.
Billed as a ‘must-attend’ event in school calendars, the competition will welcome more than 30,000 senior secondary school students from over 300 schools nationwide.
The contest gives them a chance to discover real alternatives to university and explore rewarding career paths. Organisers say that three-quarters of the students who attended last year were there to learn about practical, skills-based routes, which they described as ‘a clear sign of the growing appetite for apprenticeships and technical careers’.
Commenting on the announcement of finalists, WorldSkills Ireland chair Ray English said: “WorldSkills Ireland is a celebration of talent and a vital platform for promoting apprenticeship and skills-based career opportunities. It’s an incredible opportunity for the finalists.”
The event allows students, parents, teachers and guidance counsellors to navigate the options available following secondary education. Admission is free and registration is open at www.worldskillsireland.ie.
