Competitors appeal for financial support ahead of WorldSkills London 2011 at the Growing Business Awards.

In a scene that could have come straight out of the BBC's Dragons' Den, UK gold medallists from this year's WorldSkills Competition have addressed the country's leading  entrepreneurs including: Theo Paphitis, a Dragons' Den Investor, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyJet and John Caudwell, founder of Phones 4 U at this year's Growing Business Awards.  The young competitors asked for financial support as London gears up to host WorldSkills 2011.   

Richard Sagar, 22, from Langholm, Scotland who won Gold in Electrical Installation and Adam Smith, 22 from Orpington, Kent who won Gold in Cooking at this year's WorldSkills urged business leaders to work with training providers and educational establishments to lend their support to the development of skills in the UK by supporting WorldSkills London 2011. 

WorldSkills UK winner and now WorldSkills, UK Alumni member, Richard Sagar, said:  "Competing at this year's WorldSkills competition was an amazing experience.  It has not only allowed me to prove my skill on an international stage, but I have also been able to share with my colleagues best practise learnt from my time training with the leading practitioners in my profession. None of it would have been possible without the support of businesses and industry figures."