GWENT electrical engineers Luke Elsmore and Alex Scott are set to battle it out against each other for a coveted place as part of the UK team at the Worldskills final in Brazil.

The two, who both work at Newport’s Industrial Automation and Control Ltd, are vying to be chosen to represent the UK at the prestigious event in Sao Paulo later this year.

Either Luke, aged 20, from Blackwood, a fourth year apprentice and recently qualified apprentice Alex, aged 21, from Lliswerry, will be selected to travel to Brazil in August to compete in the industrial controls section of the global competition.

Peter Lewis, managing director IAC Ltd, which is based at Queensway Meadows, Newport, said it was a huge honour for the company to know that one of the two apprentices will be competing for the UK at the global competition.

Peter said: “Luke and Alex have been working and training hard over recent weeks ahead of the final competition to be held in Nottingham in May. Now it is down to how they do over the three days of that competition. The one who scores highest will secure themselves a place at the Worldskills final in Brazil.

“The pair are both excellent engineers and if we could we’d like to have both go to Brazil but sadly there is just the one place in the UK Worldskills team. We wish both of them the very best of luck in the final competition.”

Luke, a former pupil at Blackwood Comprehensive School, was named Quality Skills Alliance Wales apprentice of the year and a similar recognition from ESTnet earlier this year. Alex is a former pupil at Lliswerry High School.

The pair attend the University of South Wales in Newport and also Newport and District Gwent Training as part of their training with IAC Ltd.

Luke and Alex will go head-to-head in Nottingham on May 20, 21 & 22, to determine who secures the single place in the UK team at the Sao Paulo, Brazil Worldskills final in August.