Students Claire Redmayne, Kerryl Carter and Danielle Vaughan from System Group in Carlisle have reached the final of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) category of the WorldSkills UK competition. The final to be held in London on 28 June, will decide who the overall winner is. Six teams of three contestants from across the UK will be battling it out.  This competition will test accounting skills in the following areas: financial accounting, preparing ledger balances, preparing reports and returns. To be eligible, entrants had to be studying the AAT Accounting Qualification Level 3 and have completed their Level 2. WorldSkills UK is a portfolio of 70 skills competitions designed by leading industry experts and training providers aimed at students, trainees and employees.  Run annually these competitions aim to encourage young people and adults across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to excel in their vocational skill area. Top performers in certain competitions could get the opportunity to enter an international WorldSkills Competition. The most recent was Japan 2007. The next will be Canada 2009 followed by London 2011.  

David Mandle, Financial Training Manager at System Group said: “We are delighted that our three students representing System Group have reached the final of the Association of Accounting Technicians category of WorldSkills UK competition.  These are three very talented young people who have great futures ahead of them in the accounting profession and this is a wonderful opportunity for their skills to be tested against some of the best young accountancy trainees in the UK. It has been a privilege working with these students and we are all extremely proud of what they have achieved so far”.