World Cup beckons for Airbus engineering duo

Two high-flyers from Airbus Broughton are competing to go to the World Cup in Russia. But not for the football – this will be a test of their engineering skills.

The pair face a gruelling twelve months of boot camps and intensive training to see if they can make the cut next March.

Aircraft fitter Balazs Sparing and third year craft apprentice Davey Brookes are competing to win a place at the WorldSkills final in Kazan, Russia in 2019.

Balazs, who lives in Connah’s Quay since moving to the UK from Hungary at the age of 11, said:

“When I joined Airbus as an apprentice in 2014 I was nominated for the competition by my college tutor and since then it’s been quite a challenge to get through the elimination phases to reach this stage.”

The duo are now through to the final four following a series of regional and national heats, including seven tasks to be completed against the clock, all related to aircraft maintenance.

But only one person can go to Russia in 2019, Davey from Anglesey said:

“Getting through to the final in Kazan in 2019 proves to the world that you are the best in your role, which can only help your future career, proving you’re committed and driven.

“I’ve always been interested in aircraft and I decided to join Airbus after my A-levels because the apprenticeship route really appealed to me.”

Davey won the UK heat in 2017, whilst Balazs was the runner-up in 2016 – but just one of them can join the World Finals next year.

The WorldSkills Competition is held every two years and is the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world.

The competitors represent the best of their peers and are selected from skill competitions all around the world. They are all under 23 and they demonstrate technical abilities by executing specific tasks which they might carry out in their workplace.