04/08/2026
This month, WorldSkills UK is celebrating the hundreds of apprentices and students who have earned their place in this year’s National Finals 🥳 while Team UK prepares to take on the world in Shanghai. It felt like the perfect excuse to look back at my own WorldSkills journey. 💚
These photos take me right back to being an apprentice with a love for floristry and a willingness to say “yes” to every opportunity that came my way. Entering WorldSkills was one of the best decisions I ever made.
The competition taught me so much more than I ever expected. It challenged me technically, pushed me creatively, built my confidence, introduced me to incredible people and showed me what I was capable of under pressure.
I was fortunate enough to become a UK Gold Medallist in 2023 and that experience completely changed the direction of my career. It gave me the confidence to dream bigger, compete at a higher level, and ultimately build BLÜM Floral.
Looking back, I’m so grateful that I grabbed those opportunities with both hands. If you’re an apprentice or student and something feels a little scary but exciting, apply, enter, volunteer, compete—just go for it. You never know where one opportunity might lead.
And if anyone from WorldSkills UK happens to be reading this… here’s my annual plea: please bring Professional Floristry back. It transformed my life, and I’d love to see the next generation of florists experience the same opportunities that I did.
To everyone competing this year—good luck. Enjoy every second, soak it all in, and be proud of how far you’ve already come. You’ve already achieved something incredible by getting there. 🌿
The Sheffield College The Floristry School WorldSkills UK
