Moray College UHI student and Grants of Dufftown apprentice Danny McBean from Forres crowned 2023 SkillELECTRIC champion
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A YOUNG electrician from Forres has been named as one of the best apprentices in the UK.
Moray College UHI student and Grants of Dufftown employee Danny McBean (21) was crowned 2023 SkillELECTRIC champion after an intensive UK-wide competition over three days at Oldham College.
Danny took top marks over his fellow finalists in a complicated electrical installation task. The objective had to be completed within a strict time frame and was marked against tough criteria including wiring and connection skills, inspection and testing, measuring and marking out.
Danny was delighted with his win.
“All of my hard work paid off,” he said. “Thank you to all those who have supported me.”
Competitors gathered at the WorldSkills UK medal ceremony at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, hosted by media personality Edith Bowman.
Danny received industry-related prizes including a multi-function tester, an enhanced iPad Pro, a tool set, a VDE Plier Set and a voucher for £250 to spend in an Electric Center branch.
SkillELECTRIC is organised by National Electrotechnical Training (NET), in conjunction with WorldSkills UK, with Electric Center, NICEIC and Scolmore Group.
SkillELECTRIC project manager for NET, Jennie Phung, said: “The high standard of work from all competitors was brilliant. All eight finalists will go on to become amazing ambassadors and role models for our industry.”
Danny was initially inspired by his teachers at Applegrove Primary School and Forres Academy, showing an early interest in STEM subjects.
He said: “My primary 7 teacher Ms Anderson really cared about our class and my school results started improving in primary 7. Mr Thornton and Mr Wilson were my Nat 5 and Higher Physics teachers. They pushed me to do better than I thought I could. Their classes were more like discussions about physics, which helped me learn.”
After leaving Forres Academy Danny started an apprenticeship with Grants of Dufftown in August, 2020. He also started at UHI Moray where his dad was his electrical installation lecturer.
Danny said: “My plan was to go to university but after doing Engineering Science in Nat 5 and Higher, I realised that I like putting theory into practice, doing something practical while knowing how it all works so in the future I would like to continue progressing with Grants.”
