UHI Moray Apprentices Shine at WorldSkills UK Finals
It was a top two finish for two of UHI Moray’s apprentices in the SkillsELECTRIC electrical installation competition at this years’ WorldSkills UK finals.
Ellis Stevenson, employed by Campbell & McHardy Ltd, made history by becoming the first-ever female SkillsELECTRIC champion, securing the gold medal with fellow apprentice Adam Soutter (who works at McDonald and Munro Ltd) claiming silver after three days of intense competition at Bridgend College.
Challenged with a complex electrical installation including wiring and connection skills, the competition piece included the installation of several different wiring systems, measurement, termination of systems, a solar PV task, and intensive electrical test. The task had to be completed within a strict timeframe and was then marked against tough criteria.
Ellis, a recently qualified apprentice through SECTT and UHI Moray, demonstrated remarkable determination. After narrowly missing out in the 2024 heats, she returned stronger in 2025, winning her heat in June before claiming gold in the national final. Adam also showcased exceptional skill and professionalism to secure second place and the silver medal.
“This is an amazing achievement for both Ellis and Adam, the standard of work at this competition was extremely high but both produced a fantastic display of hand skills, time management, and problem solving for which Ellis was awarded the gold medal and Adam was awarded the silver. I am absolutely delighted with the result as I know how much commitment, how much of their own time and how much effort they put into preparing, not only for the final, but all through the competition journey. They are a credit to their employers, family, friends, SECTT and UHI Moray,”
Iain McBean, Lecturer
This achievement marks the fourth time in four years that UHI Moray apprentices have triumphed at the WorldSkills UK finals, following Electrical Installation wins by Danny McBean (2023) and Craig Fairweather (2022), and last year’s triumph with Liam Patterson winning gold in the Renewable Energy competition at the WorldSkills UK finals. Ellis is now an ambassador for SkillsELECTRIC and Adam will have the chance to represent the UK on the international stage in Japan, 2028 as also part of the WorldSkills UK squad.
“We are immensely proud of everything that Ellis and Adam have achieved this year and at these UK Finals. I’m also very grateful for the commitment and support they have been given by their employers and by the construction skills team here at UHI Moray who continue to bring out the very best in our apprentices.
To see Ellis be the first female apprentice ever to win this competition makes me extremely proud of the way we work here in Moray, especially as it follows another of our female apprentices Katie Wallace, recently winning the 2025 Scottish Engineering Apprentice of the Year title.”
David Patterson, Principal and CEO of UHI Moray.
Apprentices participate in SkillELECTRIC and WorldSkills alongside their studies. The first stage of the competition is an online assessment consisting of four parts: electrical testing, safe isolation of an electrical installation, creating a detailed material list from an electrical drawing, and answering a set of theoretical questions. Successful candidates then progress to regional heats, which determine who qualifies for the final.
SkillELECTRIC is organised by NET in partnership with WorldSkills UK, with support from Electric Center, NICEIC, and Click Scolmore. The event was one of over 40 WorldSkills UK national finals held across South Wales last week.