Gold medal-winning Toyota apprentices train for chance to compete in 2026 World Skills competition
Two Toyota Manufacturing UK apprentices, 23-year-old Emily Bettridge and 22-year-old Liz Hopkinson, are training to represent the UK at the international finals of the 48th WorldSkills competition in Shanghai in 2026, following their gold medal success at the national finals.
Bettridge and Hopkinson are both Multi-skilled Mechatronics Maintenance Technician Apprentices undertaking their apprenticeships with Burton and South Derbyshire College at the Toyota Manufacturing UK (TMUK) Burnaston factory. Hopkinson, from Alfreton, Derby, is currently working in the Toyota Plastics shop and Bettridge, from Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, works in the Paint Shop. They impressed judges at the UK finals last November with their technical precision and teamwork, earning top honours in the mechatronics category.
Members of Squad UK train under the guidance of highly skilled trainers, industry experts, former medal winners and performance coaches. The top performers will be selected next spring to become official members of Team UK at the Shanghai finals where they will be expected to perform previously unseen tests to a professional standard within a fixed time limit, including an X1 Electro-Pneumatic board task, X1 Programming board task and X1 build and programme on a rig.
WorldSkills is recognised globally as the ultimate benchmark for vocational excellence, bringing together over 1,500 young people from more than 80 countries to compete in technical disciplines ranging from engineering and digital to hospitality and creative arts. The UK will compete in over 30 skills at the 48th WorldSkills finals in Shanghai, including 3D Digital Game Art, Robot Systems Integration and Renewable Energy.
Both Hopkinson and Bettridge joined TMUK in September 2022. Hopkinson studied maths and physics at A level and wanted to do something that combined them, while Bettridge tried University but decided it wasn’t for her, so joined the apprenticeship for a more hands on role.
Hopkinson commented: “We started training for WorldSkills about a year ago, got through the national qualifiers, and then went on to win gold at the finals. The training is really high intensity – there’s a lot of time pressure and problem-solving – but it’s helped me grow so much. I didn’t enjoy school and found that environment difficult but doing an apprenticeship has been a much better fit. I get to learn by doing, and I’ve gained real experience that’s preparing me for a career. Mechatronics is so varied, with no two days the same and that’s what makes it exciting.”
Emily Bettridge, who also won Apprentice of the Year in BSDC’s FE & Apprenticeship Awards added: “Competing in WorldSkills has pushed me to my limits, but it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences. The intensity of the competition environment really develops your skills – from programming to working under pressure – and you bring all of that back to your job. I love the variety in my role; every day is different, and there’s a real sense of achievement when you fix something and get the line running again. I’ve always preferred hands-on learning, and this apprenticeship has opened up so many more opportunities than I ever expected.”
ENDS
