A Severn Valley Railway apprentice has gained a gold medal in the WorldSkills UK competition.

Jack Kerswill, based at the boiler shop in Bridgnorth, was competing in the construction metalwork category. The 22 year old had to undergo a seven month process of regional heats and training before gaining his place in the finals.

Over 500 young people took part in the WorldSkills UK finals in multiple disciplines.

Jack gained his apprenticeship through the Severn Valley Railways Heritage Apprenticeship Scheme. The scheme allows the railway to ensure that specialised skills which are needed on the railway are learned.

“I’m really happy at how far I’ve come,” said Jack on hearing of his success. “It’s been a long road getting here. The help and support from colleagues along the way has been invaluable, and winning the gold medal makes it all worthwhile.

“The two days of the finals were quite nerve-wracking, but at the same time I enjoyed the pressure of competing alongside others. Our task was to produce four construction metalwork modules, which all came together to make a small stove. This tested us on a range of skills, such as oxyacetylene cutting, welding and using tools such as guillotines and angle grinders.

“We were given a basic set of plates to mark out, cut out and then find an efficient way of clamping it all together, ready for welding, all the time bearing in mind the tight tolerances you were being judged on.”

“We couldn’t be prouder of Jack,” said Duncan Ballard, the SVR’s head of steam engineering. “He’s a shining example of someone who’s not only extremely talented, but is also prepared to work hard for what he wants to achieve. With young people like him coming into the heritage sector, we know that the future of our locomotives and rolling stock is going to be in good hands.”

The winners of the 2022 awards were announced by Steph McGovern, the presenter of Channel 4’s Packed Lunch, who said: “What a brilliant result. We need to ensure that these fantastic achievements encourage others to follow in their footsteps. Skills have the power to transform lives and economies. WorldSkills UK competitions show how the UK is brimming with brilliant young people doing exceptional things.”