New College Lanarkshire student heading to Gdansk to represent Team UK at EuroSkills event this autumn

Nathaniel will be heading to Poland as part of the EuroSkills event

A New College Lanarkshire IT whizz will be flying the flag for Scotland at an upcoming skills event this autumn.

And Nathanial Patrick says he “can't believe it” after he was picked to represent Team UK at EuroSkills in Poland.

The 19-year-old cyber security student is one of 20 elite apprentices and students representing the UK at Europe’s largest skills event, and said his inclusion in the team was “totally unexpected”.

He told the News: “Even after I got the email I had to check with my lecturer because I didn’t believe it.

“I’m really looking forward to it and keen to take home a medal.

“I’m really grateful for the all the support I’ve received from the staff here at NCL and from Worldskills.”

WorldSkills UK is a partnership between education, industry and UK governments that works to raise standards in technical and apprenticeships, champions future skills and empowers young people to succeed

Nathanial will head to Gdansk in September as part of Team Skill to compete in the ICT specialists event and says his love of computers started at his early age.

“I’ve been mucking about with computers since I was six years old,” he told us.

“At the national competition last year I was doing competitive IT, where you get given a client’s computer problem and have to solve it as fast as you can, which was really useful real-world experience.”

Nathaniel became involved with NCL when he was still at Airdrie Academy, visiting the college as part of the North Lanarkshire Cyber schools imitative.

Following his HND at NCL, he's looking to continue his studies with a engineering degree next year.

Following disruption because of the pandemic, over 100,000 spectators from across Poland and Europe are expected to attend this year’s finals.

That includes NCL lecturer, Ryan Sheridan, who will be one of Team GB’s training managers.

He told us: “I am delighted to be representing the UK in Gdansk.

“As a former competitor and gold medallist here, I understand the huge opportunity in front of the competitors, as well as the hard work and dedication they will put in to prepare themselves for competing on a world stage.

“Good luck Team UK.”