Will Hunt, a welder at Rolls-Royce Submarines, to represent the UK at the WorldSkills competition in China

Rolls-Royce Submarines Welder Will Hunt is ready to represent the UK at the WorldSkills event

(PRESS RELEASE) WESTHAMPNETT, UK, 20-May-2022 — /EuropaWire/ — Rolls-Royce (LSE:RR., ADR:RYCEY), the pre-eminent engineering company with focus on world-class power and propulsion systems, has announced that Will Hunt, a welder at Rolls-Royce Submarines, has been selected to represent the UK at the WorldSkills competition in China.

Will Hunt, who works at the Raynesway site in Derby, was selected after excelling in national welding competitions. He is now part of the 39-strong Team UK and will face off against rivals from 80 countries to bring home gold in their field.

On hearing the news, Will said: “The welding competitions have been an excellent opportunity for me to broaden my welding skills and knowledge. It has also been a great experience welding in a competitive environment at the national finals. To be picked to represent the UK on an international stage is something everyone dreams of and I can only thank Rolls-Royce and my colleagues for the support, training and encouragement they have given me to get this far.”

Will continued: “I have also been supported by Jake Rambaldini, from UK firm Rambaldini Welding Services, who has hosted the previous competitions and provided me with expert 1-to-1 welder training in preparation for the final in Shanghai, so it’s been a real industry collaboration.”

Rolls-Royce Submarines has recently announced the launch of its own Nuclear Skills Academy, based in Derby, and the introduction of 200 additional nuclear apprentice places every year for at least 10 years. The ambition is to nurture and uncover new talent across a range of nuclear skills, including welding.

Dubbed the ‘Skills Olympics’, the World Skills event is a biennial competition that rewards excellence in technical disciplines. The charity brings together young people, industry leaders and education providers to celebrate the value of technical education and training.

Steve Crisp, a Rolls-Royce Welding School Group Lead, who has coached Will throughout the competition, has been instrumental in Will’s development.

“Enormous congratulations to Will. I know how hard he has worked and how proud he is to be representing Rolls-Royce and Derby on the world stage. It is nothing less than he deserves,” said Steve. “This shows the wider welding community that Rolls-Royce Submarines are now a serious contender to win gold, due to the high skill level our apprentices are attaining in order to work at this business.”

For 60 years, Rolls-Royce has provided the power for all of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines from its base in Raynesway, Derby. Their work ensures submariners have the power to protect the UK’s interests at home and further afield.

For more information about Rolls-Royce Submarines visit www.rolls-royce.com/products-and-services/defence/submarines.aspx.

For more information on the WorldSkills event, visit www.worldskillsuk.org.

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

1. Rolls-Royce pioneers the power that matters to connect, power and protect society. We have pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2030 (excluding product testing) and joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2020, affirming our ambition to play a fundamental role in enabling the sectors in which we operate achieve net zero carbon by 2050.
2. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces and navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
3. Annual underlying revenue was £10.95 billion in 2021, underlying operating profit was £414m and we invested £1.18 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
4. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is publicly traded company (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69)

Media contact:

Richard Wray
Director of External Communications
richard.wray@rolls-royce.com

SOURCE: Rolls-Royce plc