Luke found out about WorldSkills whilst at college
and entered into the regional competition. After achieving success
at the regional competition he then went on to compete in the
national competition where he finished in third place. Harry
Turner, the WorldSkills expert, decided to take Luke to a training
session because of the potential he'd shown during the competition.
After the training session Luke's talent began to shine and he
sailed through the squad selection. He then teamed up with another
competitor, William Gadd, for the team selection competition and
after winning that then made it into Team UK.
Luke's preparation for WorldSkills involved more than
just landscaping. He also spent a lot of time in the gym getting
fit and had to make some changes to his diet to ensure that he was
in peak physical condition.
With four main parts to the garden design which had
to be completed over the 22 hours of competition, the landscaping
team stuck to their strengths. Luke focused on the water feature
and stepping stones as these were most suited to his skills.
Luke believes that his experiences at WorldSkills has
left him with skills beyond his years. "I'm much better at my job
now. I'm only 19 but I can do things way beyond other people of my
age." explained Luke. He also hopes to inspire other kids, and help
them understand that there are a variety of routes. First stop, his
mum's primary school where he'll be a guest speaker at the next
assembly.