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Tim Lancaster - Download Case Study

Hometown: Leeds
Trade: Landscape Gardener

Competition: WorldSkills 2007, Japan
Skill: Landscape Gardening
Result: Medallion of Excellence 

Qualifications:
* 6 GSCE’s
* City & Guilds National Diploma in Landscape Gardening
* Licentiateship of City & Guilds (LCGI)

Employer: RMP Properties


Tim 's story

Tim knew he wanted to get into landscape gardening early on, after taking a part time job with a family friend while he was still at school. He enjoyed it so much he decided to make it his profession. Little did he know though that he would soon become part of Team UK, competing in the Landscape Gardening competition and winning a Medallion for Excellence.

So it was at college that Tim got into competing then?

Tim’s actually been involved in competitions since 2004, having heard about them from a college friend and former WorldSkills competitor, who told Tim enough about it that he was soon entering competitions himself!

What was it like being selected for Team UK?

For Tim it was very emotional. It was something that he’d been working towards for so long. “It was a mixture of relief, happiness and excitement all mixed into one. We were really looking forward to being part of the team and getting out to Japan.”

Was training tough?

Tim’s the first to admit that training isn’t an easy business. “Training for WorldSkills is really serious. We worked seven days a week making sure we were getting up to the high standards that we needed to be at. I was lucky that I had a really supportive boss who let me have time off for training, which was great as we wanted to practice all the time, doing things over and over again until we got it perfect. We could practically do it in our sleep by the time WorldSkills came around!”

But what was it like competing in front of such a big audience as WorldSkills?

WorldSkills 2007 was visited by over 200,000 people, which could be daunting for some of us, but Tim and Landscape Gardening partner Keith Chapman just ignored the onlookers.

“When you’re in a competition you get into the ‘zone’ and forget everyone around you. You get your head down and crack on. We were a team of two but we didn’t even have to speak to each other because we knew what we each had to do so well. That’s when we really felt the benefits of all our training!”

So were there no nerves going to Japan?

Tim explains “Because I had a Landscape Gardening partner and the rest of the team too we could all support each other, so it wasn’t as nerve wrecking as it could have been. We were just like one big happy family which was great. Japan’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever been to before which could have been a little scary but it’s such an amazing place that it wasn’t scary at all and I’d love to go back there if I could.”

Has anything changed since he’s been home?

Tim says it was great to get back home but at the same time he was sad to leave the team and his experience at WorldSkills. Since returning he’s become a local media star, having appeared in his local papers and on TV! Tim says, “I’m certainly much more confident in the way I present myself and my work and I’ve noticed people have a little more respect for us too. We’ve proved that we are good at what we do, which is a great feeling.”

What advice would Tim give to others wanting to get involved?

Tim’s not afraid to say that it’s hard work but he’s just as quick to point out that it is most definitely worth it. “It’s just such an amazing experience, everyone should do it if they get the chance. It raises your skills to a World Class level which I now know is very important and that can only help you in your career.”

So what now for Tim?

Tim’s always been determined to be the best he can be and he continues to work hard and develop his skills every day at work. He’d love to be involved with WorldSkills London 2011 when it comes to the UK, if only to visit the Landscape Gardening competitors and bring back some good memories! With Tim’s success so far, we’re sure he’ll go far.

A word with Tim’s employer: Robert McEwen Peters, Owner, RMP Properties

Helping Tim achieve success as part of Team UK was RMP Properties first taste of WorldSkills. Tim’s college approached the company to see if they would support him to compete and Robert happily agreed.

So, what’s it like training someone for WorldSkills?

Robert says that committing to support an employee through WorldSkills training is hard work but worth it. “We had to give Tim a lot of time off and I know some small employers would find this hard just in terms of the lost work hours but we are lucky here and I saw it as an investment in Tim and my own business.”

Would it be something that Robert would do again?

The answer is yes.

“It would certainly be something I’d get involved with again, providing we had the right candidate. For the competitor, they grow in confidence and skill and as a business it brings a lot of good publicity to you and you benefit from their new skills too.”