London South Bank Technical College apprentice Georgia Greenfield has earned a place among the UK's top young plumbing competitors after qualifying for the 2026 WorldSkills UK National Finals.
Georgia, who is studying the Level 3 Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship at the college's Nine Elms campus, is one of just eight competitors from across the UK to reach the final of SkillPLUMB 2026.
According to the college team supporting her, Georgia is also the only female competitor to reach this year's SkillPLUMB national final. London South Bank Technical College is the only London college represented among the eight finalists.
It is a significant achievement in a competition designed to find and develop some of the country's most talented emerging tradespeople. SkillPLUMB is the plumbing competition within the WorldSkills UK competition framework and challenges young plumbers to demonstrate their technical ability through demanding practical tasks under competition conditions.
Georgia's journey began with the competition's entry stage before she progressed to one of a series of national qualifying heats held around the UK. At the England Heat 2 event at the Royal School of Military Engineering in Kent, Georgia took second place, putting herself firmly in contention for the national final. The highest-scoring competitors from all the qualifying heats were subsequently compared nationally, with only eight earning a place in the final.
The achievement puts Georgia in distinguished company. More than 400 students and apprentices across over 40 different skills have qualified for the wider 2026 WorldSkills UK National Finals, covering areas ranging from engineering and construction to digital technology, health, hospitality and the creative industries. WorldSkills UK says its competitions are designed to recreate the pace, pressure and professional standards of the workplace while building technical skills, confidence and resilience.
For Georgia, the competition is also closely connected to the skills required for Britain's transition towards lower-carbon heating.
Her apprenticeship at London South Bank Technical College develops expertise in technologies including air source and ground source heat pumps, solar thermal systems, low-temperature central heating and the installation, commissioning and maintenance of low-carbon heating and hot-water systems. The programme combines technical knowledge with practical training at the college's specialist Nine Elms facilities.
Georgia is undertaking her apprenticeship while working with renewable energy specialist Your Energy Your Way, giving her the combination of college training and real-world industry experience at the heart of the apprenticeship model. BPEC's official finalist announcement lists Georgia jointly with London South Bank Technical College and Your Energy Your Way.
The SkillPLUMB UK Final will take place at Bridgend College in South Wales during the week commencing 16 November 2026, alongside the wider WorldSkills UK National Finals being staged across South Wales. Competitors will be judged on their ability to combine accuracy, practical pipework skills, organisation, problem-solving, attention to detail and professional working practices while operating under competition pressure.
And there may be an even bigger prize beyond the UK final. Eligible competitors who achieve the required standard can potentially progress towards Squad UK, beginning the selection and development journey towards the international WorldSkills competition taking place in Japan in 2028.
For London South Bank Technical College, Georgia's success also provides another example of the role technical education and apprenticeships can play in preparing students for rapidly changing industries, particularly areas such as renewable energy and low-carbon technology.
The college will be cheering Georgia on when she heads to South Wales in November.
Congratulations, Georgia, and good luck in the final!
