Burton student selected to join WorldSkills competition

Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) is celebrating another outstanding achievement in Cyber Security, as current student Liam Dinsdale (pictured) has been selected to join Squad UK for the prestigious WorldSkills competition.

Liam, who recently completed his Level 3 Cyber Security and Networking course, earned his place on the squad after securing a bronze medal in the national WorldSkills finals.

He now joins an elite group of young professionals from across the UK in an 18-month intensive training programme, designed to prepare competitors for the chance to be selected to represent the UK on the international stage.

Members of Squad UK will train under the guidance of highly skilled trainers, industry experts, former medal winners and performance coaches to prepare for the challenges of competing at the highest level.

The top performers from Squad UK will be selected next spring to become official members of Team UK ahead of the 48th WorldSkills finals to be held in Shanghai in 2026.

This September, Liam will continue his studies at BSDC on the Level 5 FdSc Computer Science (Cyber Security Technologist) course.

Reflecting on his journey so far, Liam said: “I started competing in WorldSkills last year and made it to the finals, where I won bronze.

“From there, I was selected for Squad UK, and I’m now training for the international competition in Shanghai next year.

“We recently had a bootcamp where Squad UK members from all categories came together for workshops and team building.

“Taking part in WorldSkills has really pushed me to test my limits, improve my skills and become the best version of myself.

“I plan to stay in IT and eventually create my own cyber security company, that’s my end goal.”

Liam follows in the footsteps of former BSDC student Daniel Matthews, who also earned a place on Squad UK and is currently studying Cyber Security at Nottingham Trent University.

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.

Ben Blackledge, chief executive of WorldSkills UK, commented: “Congratulations to Liam on being selected for our training programme for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Together with the other members on our programme, Liam will be developing the right skills to fuel business growth across our economy.”

Jacqui Maw, curriculum team leader at BSDC, added: “We’re incredibly proud of Liam’s achievement. His dedication and drive are a testament to the quality of talent we nurture here at BSDC.

“It’s fantastic to see our learners gaining national recognition and preparing to compete on the world stage.”