London trip - World Skills

The original reason for CJ to go to London last week was the World Skills competition. It's a huge worldwide trade competition, where finalists (young kids) from all countries around the world come to represent different trades and compete to be the best in the world in their trade. Apparently that can help you get into a really good school and then into a really good job. Leading up to the Wirld Skills fair, each country has regional contests, then a national one (the US one is in Kansas City) and the winners get sent to a select location somewhere in the world where the final final round is held. This year the finals were in London.
By trade I mean chefs, servers, beauticians, massage therapists, carpenters, plumbers, IT  or robotics specialists, and automechanics.

IRWIN Tools was a sponsor there. Here is their booth.

CJ gave me his all access sponsor pass to the ExCel Halls where World Skills was held so I stopped by there on my way back fromt the Museum of London. It was really cool to see some of the kids at work. Here are some of the trades represented. I even spotted a boy from the US representing the HVAC trade.

What I really want to know is how you get the job of a food taster, who gets served by the trainee waiters/waitresses... That would be cool. If the food is edible, of course. Now, being half naked and subjected to a massage treatment in public... not so sure about.

Also, what I thought was interesting was how different the service skill trade areas were from the more technical trades... See for yourself.