Portadown man set to showcase talent at Euroskills competition in Denmark
Portadown man Patrick Sheerin is heading to Herning, Denmark this September to compete in EuroSkills.
The European competition series of WorldSkills will see top talent across Europe descend upon Herning to compete for medals in 38 skills categories.
Patrick will compete in the industry 4.0 category alongside teammate Caolan McCartan. The dynamic duo were handpicked to represent Team UK at EuroSkills, earlier this year amongst other Southern Regional College (SRC) students John Doherty (mechatronics), Jason McVerry (mechatronics) and Jonathan Gough (electrical installation).
Patrick is no stranger to WorldSkills competitions having previously competed in the UK competition series in automation, back in 2021, securing a silver medal; mechatronics in 2022, where he achieved a bronze medal, and following a brief hiatus in 2023 to complete his engineering degree at SRC, he returned to the UK competition series in 2024 winning the gold medal in industry 4.0 alongside Caolan.
But what is industry 4.0, mechatronics and automation about?
As Patrick explains they are all closely related, with each category being a step up or building block from the previous.
“Simply put, automation is the use of systems to control processes, mechatronics is about building everything yourself (mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer technologies) and programming it. Industry 4.0 is about integrating components and software into an existing system and making it run smoothly.”
“Industry 4.0 gives the best simulation of a real working environment. In reality, you don’t just arrive at a site and run the same programme you know off by heart. It’s more about installing new software, adding a touchscreen, uploading everything to a cloud system, and ensuring it works across the factory — all while running simulations to check everything functions properly before going live and potentially causing damage.”
Having been part of the WorldSkills UK series across several competition categories, it’s fair to say that Patrick sees the benefits the competition provides.
“I would definitely recommend the WorldSkills Competition series to students. Not only for the chance to travel and compete at the highest level—because, at the end of the day, it’s a competition, and if you’re competitive, there’s nothing better.”
He continued, “But also there’s the learning experience. The amount of additional skills you gain while training for the competition is incredible. Beyond the technical skills, you develop personally too.”
“Within the automation, mechatronics and industry 4.0 categories you need to learn to work as a team. If you don’t, you’re at a serious disadvantage because you’re up against others who do work well together. Plus, it teaches you how to handle pressure and stress – nothing creates pressure like a timer or deadline. Lastly, your communication skills improve, as you need to communicate effectively with your teammate.”
Patrick works as a mechanical engineer with AJ Power in Craigavon, a manufacturer of diesel fuelled and electric power generators, and has been employed by AJ Power since 2019 when he started his Engineering (Mechatronics) foundation degree as a higher level apprentice.
Describing his job role as very broad, on a typical day you could find Patrick working on R&D projects, product innovation, new product implementation and production line queries. However, this varied role doesn’t feel like a job,
“It’s like the saying goes – if you enjoy your job, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Reflecting on his WorldSkills experience to date, Patrick is keen to experience more. With ambitions of being named as part of Team UK for the global WorldSkills international competition for Shanghai 2026, a WorldSkills series dubbed the ‘Skills Olympics’. He added:
“I think you’d be foolish not to try. There’s no point in doing something unless you’re going to do it properly. I’ve signed up for it, I’ve committed to it, so I may as well give it my best. I’d be honoured to make the team.”
Patrick is also keen for more students to consider entering WorldSkills competitions, with local, regional and national competitions happening all year round. He encourages students to take the plunge:
“Just give it a try. You’ve got nothing to lose. You won’t come out any worse than you went in. If anything, you’ll come away with a new understanding of how complex, intricate, or detailed systems can be – and a better appreciation for what people in industry are actually doing in their roles.”
“At the end of the day, assumptions are one of the worst things we can make, especially in industry. As soon as you assume something, it’s almost guaranteed to be wrong. So just give it a go – it does no harm.”