FANUC UK is inviting the next generation of robotics engineers to enter the WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition.
The manufacturer revealed this year’s contest will make robotics ‘even more accessible’ thanks to FANUC’s Education Roadshow, which will see the company travel around the country offering hands-on robotics interaction and education to students.
An industry-education joint initiative, the WorldSkills competition is designed to inspire young people to consider a career in robotics and equip them with technical and workplace skills required by employers.
FANUC will provide training and support to the teams that make it through the qualifying round, ahead of the national final in November.
A partnership between employers, education and governments around the world, WorldSkills uses competition-based training, assessment and benchmarking to raise standards in apprenticeships and technical education. Industrial Robotics is one of the newest of the 72 competition categories offered in the UK. FANUC UK is both the Industry Partner and Competition Organising Partner (COP) for this category.
Participants will be taught how to programme and operate robots. Working in pairs, they will compete across two competition stages (Passive Stage and Qualifying Stage), completing tasks designed to test technical and team skills. The top scorers will progress to the national finals and the winning team will have the opportunity to represent the UK in the international finals.
FANUC UK MD Tom Bouchier said, “Nurturing the next generation of robotics talent is vital to the future of the UK’s manufacturing industry, and key to this is forging closer connections between industry and education at the crucial and historically neglected post-GCSE stage. As a company, we are super keen to engage with young people and enthuse them about robotics engineering as a career choice.
“The WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition is all about making robotics accessible, relevant and appealing to young people, bringing classroom learning to life.”
Entry is open to students aged 16 and over in groups of two at www.worldskillsuk.org/competitions/industrial-robotics from 27 February to 24 March.
