A Stormont politician has been building closer relationships with the NI construction sector.

The Employment and Learning Minister, Danny Kennedy, has hosted a reception in Parliament Buildings, to celebrate Northern Ireland competitors' recent successes in an international skills competition.

Twelve young men from Northern Ireland, representing each of the six Further Education Colleges and CAFRE, have fought off stiff competition from across the UK to be selected for Squad UK for WorldSkills London 2011.

This is the largest international vocational skills competition, is being hosted by the UK in London in October 2011.

The NI Squad members will now spend the next 11 months preparing to take on the very best skilled young people from 50 nations at the competition.

"This is a remarkable achievement for you personally, and also for a country of our size, and clearly shows that the standard of our vocational education and training system is world class.

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The Minister continued: "You have done well to get this far, and I wish you continued success with your training programme and further selection events for the Team which will go on to represent the UK at WorldSkills next year.

"Northern Ireland has a proud history of medal winners at WorldSkills and I am hopeful that this will continue."

The Minister also congratulated the medallists from the 2009/10 round of WorldSkills UK national competitions. In total, Northern Ireland won an impressive 23 medals - four gold, seven silver and 12 bronze.

Mr Kennedy continued: "Winning a medal at a national level in a WorldSkills UK competition is very impressive and reflects your high level of skills and commitment to your training.

"Skills competitions help to encourage excellence, and raise standards of training. I would like to offer my congratulations both to the WorldSkills London 2011 Squad members, and the 2009/10 National medallists," he concluded, noting that WorldSkills UK takes place every year in around 70 skills within these five main sectors: Built Environment, Cultural and Creative Arts, Engineering, Information Technology and Business Administration, Professional Social Public and Hospitality Services.

Outstanding WorldSkills UK national finalists may also be considered for inclusion in Squad and Team UK and a large proportion of the international competitors that represent the UK at WorldSkills come through the WorldSkills UK competition framework.

(BMcC/GK)