In a scene that could have come straight out of the BBC's Dragons' Den, gold medallists from this year's WorldSkills Competition, known as the 'Skills Olympics', 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 both aged 22 asked for financial support as London gears up to host WorldSkills 2011.

The largest skills competition in the world is coming to the UK in 2011 and the event will see almost 1200 competitors from 50 countries compete in skills ranging from landscape gardening, IT and cooking to hairdressing, engineering and auto body repair.  The UK is currently ranked 7^th in the world, after achieving three gold and six bronze medals at this year's WorldSkills Calgary 2009. To maximise the potential of the WorldSkills London 2011 event UK Skills need urgent financial support in the region of £15 million from the business community.

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.

Skills competitions allow businesses and training providers to work together to lift standards of performance, promoting world class skills and international competitiveness.

Former WorldSkills competitor, 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."

Simon Bartley, CEO, UK Skills which manages the UK's entry into WorldSkills added: "Skills competitions are the perfect vehicle to encourage young people to develop their skill base and prepare them for future employment.  At this WorldSkills Calgary 2009, we showed the rest of the world how able and highly skilled the UK is.  We need to do this again when we host the competition, but this can only happen with backing from businesses.  Now more than ever it's important that we continue to invest in the skills of our workforce, helping individuals get into and stay on at work as well as helping businesses stay competitive and prepare for the upturn."

London will host the international WorldSkills Competition from 5^th-8^th October 2011.  For information or to pledge your support for the competition please visit:  www.worldskillslondon2011.com .

UK Skills manages Team UK, the UK's entry into WorldSkills on behalf of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department of Education and Learning Northern Ireland, the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Government. Independent education foundation Edge is the Premier Supporter of Squad and Team UK, as part of its commitment to raising the status of practical and vocational learning.  Brathay provide and support the training and development of Squad and Team UK.